Chapter 37

After Shen Huaixi made his bold remarks, Sheng Yan didn’t respond to him.

At this moment, the stage lights slowly dimmed, and the large screen went dark as well.

The audience, who had been cursing Shen Huaixi just moments ago, began to quiet down.

Everyone lifted their heads, quietly awaiting the final group’s VCR.

After a three-second countdown from the time machine, the screen flickered.

The time reverted to the moment when Shen Huaixi made his group selections.

The colors in the VCR were deliberately aged.

The editor first showed the back of the entire group, then immediately focused on close-ups of several people’s eyes.

The confused look of the singer-dancer, the surprised rapper, the uneasy traditional singer, and the helpless No. 77.

The earlier broadcast hadn’t shown such detailed facial expressions from the contestants.

Now, seeing these reactions in such high definition, the audience couldn’t help but feel sorry for the group’s contestants.

【Damn, every time I watch this group selection, I just want to curse.】

However, before the audience could finish complaining, the camera suddenly shifted to an adorable cat head.

The scene shifted to a corner after the group selection ended.

The smiling Maomao seemed completely carefree, unaffected by the group division.

He tilted his head slightly and extended one of his cute paws into the air.

In contrast to the cat’s cute appearance, a cold, mechanical voice rang out, “Let’s celebrate our successful team-up!”

The other teammates, who had been a little down before, raised their hands in response.

Four hands were placed one after another on the back of the cat’s hand, and at the cat’s urging, everyone shouted together, “Let’s go!”

But after the slogan, No. 77’s hand lingered, slowly rubbing the back of the cat’s paw.

“Maomao, your paw’s fur is so soft… I’ll touch it again…”

This sudden remark made the audience envious.

【Ahhh, let go of that paw! Let me touch it!!!】

【No. 77, you have bad intentions! Why didn’t you let me have this chance?】

【Agreed. I’m unfollowing No. 77. Unless I get to touch the paw.】

【Wuwuwu, the cat is so cute and heartwarming. He’s comforting and encouraging everyone because he saw they were all feeling down.】

【Our Maomao is the cutest and warmest cat!】

At this point, the audience, who had originally thought the atmosphere of this group would be very heartwarming, was feeling quite different.

But the heartwarming scenes the production team showed were brief, after the VCR, the tone of the footage suddenly changed.

Mentor Sheng Yan gathered everyone and asked seriously, “What style do you think suits our group?”

In the video, his question was met with silence.

Except for Su Xingyao, who was wearing a headpiece hiding his expression, the others didn’t look too pleased.

The camera then split into four views.

The two top screens showed scenes of other groups already rehearsing after quickly settling on their songs.

The other two showed this group still in meetings, but with no resolution.

Soon, the four screens merged into two.

On the right was a clock constantly ticking, while on the left, Sheng Yan was seen continuously listening to songs and searching for the right one for the group.

The clock’s hands pointed to 4:00 AM.

Fans of Sheng Yan and this group couldn’t hold back their emotions after seeing this.

【Sheng Yan is so miserable…】

【He must have stayed up the entire night just to find songs.】

【Ugh, just thinking about how Shen Huaixi is probably sound asleep right now makes me sick.】

【This group is so unlucky too… while others have already started practicing, they haven’t even settled on a song. They’re so behind.】

The editor really knew how to manipulate the audience’s emotions.

Just as everyone was starting to worry about the group’s song selection, the scene shifted to Sheng Yan bringing the songs into the practice room.

“Let’s all listen together. I’ve chosen four songs.”

As soon as the audience heard that Sheng Yan had selected four songs, their mood lifted a little.

However, the editor immediately cut to the contestants after listening to three of the songs. They looked as though they had something to say but hesitated.

This brought the audience’s mood back down again.

【This VCR has my emotions going on a rollercoaster…】

【Is choosing a song really this hard?】

【If they’re trying to accommodate everyone, it’s going to be difficult, their styles are all over the place.】

【Can’t they do an electronic, traditional fusion?】

【Well, you’re the mentor, but you can’t just force all the strong players to compromise for the team’s weaknesses…】

While the audience was eagerly discussing what kind of song would suit this group, there was finally some progress in the VCR.

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

However, after listening to the last song, for the first time, everyone in the group showed a satisfied expression.

【Did they find one??】

【What song is that last one?】

【I’m really curious!!】

The audience didn’t have time to feel happy.

They heard Sheng Yan’s helpless voice: “We don’t have the copyright for this song… for now.”

“XX’s song requires his personal authorization to use, and it’s been difficult to get in touch with him.”

After Sheng Yan said this, one of the contestants sighed.

【Why are we always so unlucky… 】

The camera paused here, and no further information about the song selection was revealed.

The editor didn’t show the final song choice to the audience but cut straight to the group’s practice.

The program team didn’t reveal what song they were practicing, but the footage showed the contestants being pushed to the edge of breakdown, constantly struggling late into the night. They were heard shouting, “I can’t do it anymore! If I keep singing, my voice will be gone.”

After watching this, the audience didn’t feel great.

【So what song did they finally choose? I wasn’t that worried before, but now I am.】

【Which song was the most suitable? Is the copyright really that difficult? Did they resolve it in the end?】

【Probably not. The production team and Sheng Yan couldn’t get the copyright, so they likely had to change the song.】

【Ugh, I’m so worried… There are so many people, and the group dynamics aren’t great. They finally found a song that works for everyone, but now it’s got no copyright.】

【They’re practicing so hard…】

【Their voices are getting hoarse, this is too harsh.】

【The training must be so intense…】

The camera finished with a shot of a pair of long, fair hands playing the piano, subtly guiding the contestants through the details of their practice.

But after watching this VCR, the audience, both inside and outside the venue, had no time to think about whose hands those were. They just felt a sense of anxious unease.

After all, the song selection issue and the short amount of time for post-production coordination were like a sword hanging over everyone’s head.

Before seeing the final stage performance, no one could guarantee what kind of result this group—whose styles were so different and with such a large gap in skill—would deliver.

After all, some of the three-person groups with good compatibility and similar styles had already failed in earlier rounds.

Thinking about this, the audience was full of worry.

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

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

The screen showed no footage, just a conversation.

No. 77: “Maomao, will you still wear this costume for the performance?”

Su Xingyao: “No, I won’t. This time, I’m going to transform!”

The video finally faded to complete darkness.

The audience, who had been feeling down, suddenly became energized upon hearing this.

【What???】

【Transformation!!!】

【My cute Maomao is really going to transform this time?】

【Ahhhhhh, I’m so reluctant to see the cute Maomao change, but I’m also really looking forward to seeing the transformation! cries】

【Will you take off the costume?!!!】

【Ahhhhhh, Maomao, hurry up and come out!】

After the VCR, the lights on stage dimmed.

Meanwhile, just like at the start of the VCR, the five members backstage also stretched out their right hands and placed them over Su Xingyao’s dog paw.

“Good luck in the competition!”

After saying that, they all picked up their microphones and began to wait for their turn.

The ancient-style singer, number 40, walked last. Watching the shadows of his teammates ahead, his hands couldn’t help but shake from nervousness.

He knew very well that he was the weak link in the group and had been under a lot of psychological pressure.

He was used to recording in the studio, but this was his first time performing in front of a live audience, and it was a live broadcast. He was scared of making a mistake, and his heart was pounding in his chest before he went on stage.

Su Xingyao noticed his nervousness.

The person in the dog costume turned around, stood still, and patted his shoulder silently.

For the past few days, Su Xingyao had been training the whole group of singers, and the ancient-style singer had already developed a sense of reliance on him, like a student to a teacher.

Seeing the other person comfort him, he couldn’t help but voice his anxiety.

“My eyelids have been twitching nonstop, and I’m afraid something bad is going to happen.”

“What if I miss the beat during the song…”

Su Xingyao noticed that the other person was so nervous about possibly holding the group back that saying something like “we’re a team” would only increase his pressure.

So, he slightly tilted his head, leaned in close to the other’s ear, and whispered, “I’ll help you fix it.”

For the ancient-style singer, who relied heavily on Su Xingyao for his singing, those words were more reassuring than any kind of comforting phrase.

It felt like a lifeline, as if a hand had come to support him when he was sinking.

He knew how strong Su Xingyao’s abilities were, so he trusted him completely, confident that Su Xingyao would do what he promised.

With that thought, the ancient-style singer finally felt his heart settle.

After the five of them took their positions, the host’s voice rang out in the darkness.

“Now, let’s welcome the last group of contestants to the stage!!!”

The dim lights around the stage lit up in a faint circle, and the venue fell silent.

A brief prelude played, and a magnetic, lazy voice emerged from the darkness.

“Hey, you said…”

The recitation, with a lingering tone, deliberately delayed for half a beat before it sounded.

A beam of spotlight from the far left of the stage illuminated, and 35, the rapper wearing a black and white spotted dog T-shirt, appeared in front of everyone.

“you wanted to share your story with me”

The rapper, with his medium-length hair slightly curled, followed Su Xingyao’s suggestion, letting out a light laugh during the rhythm gaps, tilting his lips as he played with the dog doll in his hand, his posture casual.

“It must be exciting, I’m all ears.”

After smoothly walking to the center of the stage and finishing his part, he lowered his head and kissed the dog doll in his hands.

The intro of the song was very short, and before the audience could even figure out what the song was, they were immediately captivated by the rapper’s opening.

The venue erupted in uncontrollable screams from the audience.

【Ahhhhh, this voice is so soothing!!】

【Is this really the 35 I know? This recitation suits him so well, it’s so charming!】

【Can we just seal this voice forever? It’s so perfect, so perfect, cries】

【What song are they singing?!】

【This melody is a bit like Lance’s “Kissing Summer,” but Lance’s song doesn’t have this recitation.】

After the rapper finished the recitation, No. 77’s clear voice followed.

Wearing a pink bunny T-shirt, he hopped onto the stage, holding a bunny doll in his left hand.

“Hey, hello

Brilliant and passionate, my dear summer”

No. 77 winked at the audience in front of the camera, bent the ears of the bunny doll, and made a gesture of greeting.

“Once again we meet, today’s sky is clear and bright.”

The moment No. 77 appeared, his already cute doll-like face, paired with the pink and white bunny outfit, immediately melted the audience’s hearts.

【Ahhhhh, my heart is melting!】

【No. 77, I won’t allow you to be this cute!!】

【Girlfriend fans instantly turned into mom fans.】

【Son, did you grow up eating “cute” for breakfast?】

【Bunny bunny bunny, cute No. 77 bunny.】

As No. 77 appeared, the song title appeared on the big screen.

“Kissing Summer”

【It really is “Kissing Summer”!】

【Ahhhhh, dream collaboration!!】

【My favorite group is singing my favorite foreign singer’s song!】

【So it’s Lance’s song!! No wonder it’s so refreshing and healing!!】

【I don’t get it, who is Lance?】

【A really talented up-and-coming artist from abroad.】

【So the song they chose in the VCR earlier must have been this one, right? Getting permission from Lance is really tough, it has to be authorized by him personally.】

【So did they manage to contact Lance himself in the end?】

The audience hadn’t even had time to wonder about the song’s authorization.

The singing and dancing artist and the traditional style singer came on stage together.

“The bicycle passes through the green shade,
The hem of my clothes gently blows in the wind.”

The two performers, one wearing a yellow-green striped dinosaur T-shirt and the other a blue-and-white dolphin T-shirt, appeared side by side.

The audience was immediately captivated by their outfits, which blended perfectly with their harmonies.

【Ahhhhh, their outfits are so cute!】

【Each of them has a matching doll with their outfit!】

【But what about our Maomao? What will the cat wear today, since it’s going to transform?】

Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, an orange dog with soft, floppy triangular ears and big, shiny eyes appeared in front of everyone.

“The sound of the wind and the chirping of cicadas,
Decorate the summer’s single track.”

When Su Xingyao, the last performer, appeared on stage, the screen was flooded with comments.

【Ahhhhh, so it’s a dog!!!】

【Ahhh, my cat turned into a dog today!】

【Dog, dog, I love dogs!】

【Cat, no, dog, your costume is just too much, so cute!】

【I love the cat’s costume, but why do I love this dog costume so much too!】

【I want to squeeze it so bad, cries】

【You all are distracted by the cat’s costume, but am I the only one seriously listening to him sing? His voice is so refreshing.】

【Cat—no, dog—is like a walking CD player.】

Looking at the audience waving their light sticks, Su Xingyao waved his cute paw at everyone, then walked to the center of the stage to join his teammates.

The five performers stood side by side, exchanged smiles, and sang the small section of harmony they just did again.

The song’s style was refreshing and healing, yet its lyrics were lively and full of summer’s warmth and excitement.

Although many of the audience were hearing this song for the first time, they were quickly drawn into the scene by their singing.

It was still May, but it felt like they had instantly entered a sun-filled summer.

The audience in front of the live broadcast couldn’t help but start moving along to the cheerful tune.

【This song is just so refreshing, cries, it fits each of their voices so well!】

【Seeing them, I can’t help but feel happy too.】

【This song has such a summer vibe, and I love their outfits, every detail just hits me right in the feels.】

【I was really worried about them after watching the VCR, but I didn’t expect them to do this well.】

【The cat’s voice is amazing, No. 77 is ridiculously stable, No. 35 and No. 62 are really shining today, No. 40 is a bit imperfect compared to the big names, but it’s fine, I’m going to blindly spoil them in this group.】

This group’s performance completely exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Watching the singers on stage having so much fun, the audience suddenly realized they’d been fooled by the VCR earlier.

The ancient-style singer in the dolphin costume, seeing the audience’s enthusiastic support, couldn’t help but wave his hands in excitement too.

Encouraged by his teammates, his mood gradually relaxed, and he started to fully enjoy the stage.

But the unexpected happened the moment he had just let his guard down.

After the rap-singer No. 35 finished his part, No. 40, who was ready to take over, suddenly realized that there was no sound coming through his in-ear monitor.

At first, he thought it was a problem with his own equipment and looked at his teammates.

But at this moment, the background music for the entire live show stopped abruptly.

The whole venue went silent, and the audience, confused, stared at the stage in shock.

The sudden technical issue threw off everyone’s rhythm.

No. 40 noticed that even his teammates, who had been so energetic just moments before, had suddenly stopped all movement.

The others looked at each other in surprise.

Since they were still performing, no one dared to speak, they only exchanged looks and gestures to signal each other.

But no one knew what had happened.

Now, facing the sudden silence with no background music, the group had to decide what to do next.

Should they stop or continue?

Without the BGM, none of the five could hear any instructions.

All the eyes of the audience were now on them.

Even inside the live broadcast, hundreds or even thousands of viewers…

A second is a very short period of time.

But for the five performers on stage, every second felt like torture.

It was the first time any of them had encountered this situation, and no one knew what to do next.

After the music stopped, seeing his teammates clearly a little panicked, Su Xingyao’s mind raced with thoughts.

He knew everyone was conflicted about whether to continue singing or stop and wait for a re-recording.

But he was very clear that this was a live broadcast, and it was a competition. No one dared to be certain—if they stopped at this moment, would they even get another chance to perform?

And even if they could perform again, it would be extremely unfair to the other contestants.

But if they couldn’t sing again, stopping prematurely would leave them with an eternal sense of regret.

Unexpected things happen on stage, and as singers, they had the responsibility and courage to continue performing despite any sudden incidents.

Because most of the time, the stage doesn’t give you a second chance.

Su Xingyao understood this deeply. He nodded to everyone.

So, even without the background music, they had to continue the performance.

After signaling everyone, he quickly raised the microphone and gestured for No. 40 to continue singing.

Their group hadn’t selected a leader like the other groups had.

However, after three days of intense training, Su Xingyao had already become an irreplaceable figure in the minds of the other four teammates, equal to that of a mentor.

Each of them unconditionally trusted his judgment and decisions.

So, when he signaled them to continue, the others quickly adjusted their expressions and mental states, deciding to sing without hesitation.

Even the ancient-style singer, whose mood had already collapsed, gently nodded at him and silently began counting the beats in his mind.

After No. 35 finished singing, there was a short instrumental break.

But with the music cut off, he had momentarily frozen.

Now, No. 40 realized that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t count the beats correctly and get back in rhythm.

Looking at his teammates’ expectant eyes, No. 40 forced himself to calm down.

But for No. 40, who had almost no stage experience, facing such a major live broadcast accident for the first time on stage, his ability to respond in the moment wasn’t something he could just will himself into.

The more he tried to calm himself down, the worse it got.

As the team’s weak link, realizing that he might drag everyone down, his nervousness made his hands shake even while holding the microphone.

Under such immense pressure, he couldn’t get the rhythm right. He closed his eyes to steady himself.

That was when he didn’t notice that Su Xingyao across from him was quietly signaling the beat with his hands.

“Face with a smile~”

Finally, when he felt the beat was close enough, he began singing his part.

However, when he opened his eyes halfway through, he was met with No. 77’s shocked expression.

In that instant, his mind suddenly cleared.

No. 40 immediately realized he had entered the wrong beat!

And he had skipped an entire line of lyrics!

Realizing the serious mistake he had just made, No. 40’s legs began to feel weak.

The overwhelming sense of guilt and the mistake he had made caused him to forget the next line of lyrics.

It felt as if his throat was being tightly squeezed, as though he might suffocate any second.

But the disastrous scenario he had imagined didn’t happen.

In the very next moment after he finished singing, a powerful voice followed, soft yet firm, making up for his mistake.

“Face with a smile~”

Su Xingyao calmly picked up the microphone, as if nothing had happened, and directly repeated the line that No. 40 had just sung.

At the moment that voice rang out, No. 40’s heart nearly burst from relief!

Because at the exact moment Su Xingyao began singing, the BGM that had been absent for several seconds miraculously resumed, and it perfectly aligned with Su Xingyao’s entry into the chorus.

Not a beat more, not a beat less!

It was perfectly timed!

No. 40, whose heart was pounding violently, looked at Su Xingyao with gratitude, finally understanding the meaning behind the promise Su Xingyao had made to him before they went on stage…

Su Xingyao had truly helped him recover the song’s tempo, bringing it back exactly as it should be!

No. 40 closed his eyes and softly exhaled.

If it weren’t for Su Xingyao today, their group’s stage performance would have been ruined by him…

“Always have the courage to fall

And come back again”

As No. 40 silently sighed in relief, Su Xingyao, with the music back in full swing, easily finished the remaining two lines of lyrics.

Before he began singing, No. 40’s voice had sounded a bit thin when he sang the lines solo.

But once Su Xingyao joined in, especially at the exact moment when the BGM came back in, the quality and emotion of the song were instantly elevated.

However, after helping No. 40 finish that section, Su Xingyao didn’t stop.

His clean, clear voice continued to ring out on stage, and in the next small section, he sang three consecutive high notes in one breath.

The barrage of comments exploded!

【Amazing!!!】

【What did I just see??? How could it be so perfectly synced back in!!】

【I just got a call from the cattle farm telling me to open the door, saying that the item I ordered yesterday had arrived. When I opened the door, it turned out the cows had arrived!】

【Ahhhhhh, Maomao just saved his teammate!!!】

【If the players’ surprise at the BGM stopping hadn’t been so genuine, I’d almost think this whole situation was staged. Maomao’s timing and transitions were so precise!!】

【This section sounds absolutely incredible. After No. 40’s acapella part, Maomao and the BGM’s timing was spot on… ahhhhhh, it was so brilliant!】

【If this was intentionally designed, then I give it a big thumbs up! If it was an accident, then Maomao is directly a legend!】

【Ahhhhhh Maomao, my big baby! Saving his teammate was amazing, those three high notes were amazing, amazing, amazing!!】

【Switching between chest and falsetto so effortlessly, hitting three high notes without even a breath… Is this what it’s like in the world of the big shots…】

After Su Xingyao’s thrilling rescue, the BGM also returned to normal.

The five-member group, under Su Xingyao’s lead, quickly got back on track and began to perform their parts as planned.

Each of them interacted with the audience in time with the choreography, and gradually, no one cared about the earlier accident anymore.

It was as if that tense moment was just a small, insignificant blip.

“Vanilla ice cream
The best dessert of summer”

In the latter half of the song, when No. 77 sang this line, Su Xingyao raised his dog’s plush toy in sync.

The dog plush in his hands was holding up its two little paws, looking absolutely adorable.

At this moment, the toy’s gaze was fixed perfectly on No. 77’s rabbit plush.

Everyone noticed that the rabbit plush was holding two ice creams!

【Wow, you even hid an Easter egg in the plush toys!】

【You prepared so many details in the props! And it matches the lyrics!】

【Ugh, this group is so cute and so thoughtful!】

The audience at the scene was completely charmed by this small design and couldn’t help but scream.

As the two interacted, No. 40 walked over.

He made his way to the center, between Su Xingyao and No. 77, and sang his second part.

“Cheers and laughter, endless courage, blue skies and white clouds, time with you.”

After singing this line, No. 40 habitually turned his head to look at Su Xingyao.

However, just as he turned his head, the stage encountered another problem!

The BGM, which had stopped once before, stopped again this time!

【??????】

【No BGM again???】

【What’s going on, production team??】

【What kind of luck is this group having! Two accidents in a row, how are they supposed to handle this…】

With the accompaniment failing twice in a row, the contestants were indeed struggling to cope.

Especially for No. 40, who had been directly affected by the issues during his singing parts both times, his mind had gone completely blank.

Even the highly experienced singer-dancer was momentarily stunned.

Because, unlike the last time, the part where the BGM stopped this time was incredibly awkward.

It happened between the song’s verses, in a section with a relatively long instrumental break.

The instrumental break had no lyrics…

So, after the BGM suddenly cut off, the stage, with no music and no lyrics, became eerily silent, as if it had lost all its life.

According to the original plan, they had designed a simple dance move that would fit with the instrumental break.

But dancing without the BGM would look ridiculous.

And if they didn’t dance and just stood there waiting, that would be equally awkward.

The singer-dancer, who had more stage experience, after a brief moment of confusion, was ready to interact with the audience to pass the time during the instrumental break.

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

Most of the audience below wouldn’t be able to sing along…

But there was no way this moment could stay so cold.

The five of them quickly exchanged glances, all trying to think of a way to save the stage, which was already plagued with accidents.

The series of mishaps had once again caused the audience to stir restlessly.

The awkward and silent stage contrasted sharply with the loud and chaotic noise below.

Seeing that if they waited any longer, they would lose control of the situation, the singer-dancer, unwilling to let this performance slip away, grabbed the microphone.

But he hesitated, wondering whether he should use the simplest and most direct phrase—“Are you having fun?” or “Wave your hands, everyone!”—to interact with the audience and get through this chaotic instrumental break.

At that moment, Su Xingyao walked over and gently nudged him with his dog plush toy.

The next second, a soft yet clear voice cut through the loud crowd.

The cute orange dog plush on stage, unnoticed by everyone, raised the microphone and began singing the chorus of the song again.

“Face with a smile~”

Without the accompaniment, the voice actually sounded even purer and clearer.

In such a chaotic scene, this voice felt like a tranquilizer.

The audience, filled with countless thoughts, all quieted down at the same time, holding their breath and listening attentively to the group’s next performance.

No. 77 was the first to react.

He quickly caught up with Su Xingyao’s rhythm and joined in for the second half of the chorus.

The two lead voices intertwined beautifully, instantly blending into a stunning harmony.

“Always have the courage to fall
And come back again”

The singer-dancer, who had been tapped on the shoulder by Su Xingyao, glanced at his dinosaur plush and finally understood the hint!

Su Xingyao was reminding him to incorporate the rap section he jokingly performed for the team during yesterday’s training.

Su Xingyao and No. 77 would handle the melodic vocal parts, while he and the rapper would perform the rap. Together, they would fill in the gap left by the missing instrumental break!

Even the most nervous member, No. 40, understood Su Xingyao’s intention.

Without saying a word, everyone turned their attention to Su Xingyao. In the healing warmth of his voice, the burning determination not to fail was reignited in their hearts.

Just like the lyrics Su Xingyao was singing.

This group of theirs was never lacking in the courage to try again.

So what if the mentors had split them into such challenging teams? They could always make up for it through training.

What if there was no BGM? The five of them could fill the gap with their voices!

The singer-dancer, whose fighting spirit had been reignited, felt his emotions rise again.

He happily followed the rhythm of Su Xingyao and No. 77’s vocals, reciting the special rap section that belonged to their group.

The rap was simple, but he delivered it with infinite tenderness.

He walked over to 77 and 40, warmly smiling as he put his arm around their shoulders.

“My rabbit…”

“My dolphin…”

His eyes were full of joy, and though the lyrics were simple, they carried a deep emotional weight.

This emotion had a name.

It was called trust.

After a brief pause, the singer-dancer pointed to his little dinosaur, laughing lightly.

“I’m dinosaur.”

The rapper also moved closer to Su Xingyao, following the rhythm of the singer-dancer, playfully shrugging.

“This is a cat and a dog.”

“We are a group of cute animals…”

“And…”

His tone, light and cheerful, subtly shifted after the soft, almost sighing rap.

The next second, he flashed a mischievous smile, gave his teammates an “I love you” gesture, and as his voice rose, he seemed like a flame reaching for the sun.

“We are even better brothers.”

“We are with you, forever.”

As the rap duo finished their section, Su Xingyao and No. 77 completed their soft vocal part at just the right moment.

They hadn’t rehearsed this part in advance, nor had it been intentionally designed, but thanks to their trust and mutual understanding, they perfectly executed this impromptu addition.

In the audience, the fans, caught up in the emotion, waved their glow sticks energetically, cheering for the group of singers who had faced so many challenges but never gave up.

Seeing this, the five performers on stage also waved their hands in response.

After the instrumental break, the long-awaited BGM didn’t return as fortunately as it had the first time.

However, the performers on stage were no longer flustered by this.

By now, after such a long period without the BGM, everyone had more or less accepted that it probably wouldn’t return.

Rather than being tortured by the uncertainty of whether the BGM would come back, Su Xingyao felt it was better to take control of the stage himself.

Standing at the center, he slightly bent forward, placed his left hand flat on his chest, pointed behind him, and then made two downward gestures with his hand.

Seeing this, the teammates all raised their left hands and gave an OK gesture in unison.

In a very short time, it was clear that everyone had agreed to his bold decision.

Su Xingyao smiled gently.

He also gave an OK gesture to his teammates.

Then, he started to countdown with his hands.

The audience, watching them silently communicate, was both curious and confused.

【What are they doing?】

【Are they discussing something?】

【But why do I feel so pumped up all of a sudden?】

Not understanding what the group was planning to do, the audience could only widen their eyes, trying to follow their every move, afraid of missing out on any exciting moment.

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

At the center, Su Xingyao began singing and set the tone for the entire group.

“Still troubled by yesterday’s worries?”

The sudden voice that rang out in the silence seemed to carry its own echo.

Su Xingyao’s voice was steady and precise, like a tuning fork, anchoring the pitch for the group.

After setting the tone, he quickly snapped his fingers, though the sound wasn’t loud.

But his snap was like a command, and immediately, the other four teammates started singing.

The five of them, with Su Xingyao at the center, formed a semi-circle.

All four teammates looked at Su Xingyao in the middle, snapping their fingers in rhythm, perfectly harmonizing with his vocal melody.

Then, Su Xingyao sang the next line of lyrics.

“Let’s let go, turn around, and give each other a hug.

This is summer~”

The moment the five of them sang in fresh and harmonious voices, the audience, already used to hearing songs with different instrumental accompaniments, felt an instant refreshment.

【Ahhhhhh, it’s actually acapella!!!】

【Wow, wow, wow, when Maomao did that pitch setting, I thought it was something like this, but I didn’t expect to be lucky enough to hear a live version of acapella!】

【Oh my god, how lucky am I to hear a live acapella performance on this stage!】

【Ahhhhhh, their acapella is so beautiful, so beautiful!】

【Sweetheart, this isn’t just acapella, it’s a cappella.】

【Can I ask, what exactly is acapella?】

【It’s when you perform multi-part music using only human voices without any instrumental accompaniment.】

【To put it simply, right now they’re not using BGM. They have a long section with no BGM, so just singing would be a bit dry. So, they let Maomao be the lead singer, and the other four teammates use their voices to provide accompaniment.】

【Ah, I see!! No wonder it sounds so layered!】

【Maomao’s pitch is really spot on, it’s like he grew up listening to CDs.】

The netizens’ analysis was correct.

In the final measure, Su Xingyao and his teammates decided not to wait for the uncertain BGM any longer.

So, they decisively abandoned the previous split singing format and made Su Xingyao the lead singer.

Once he set the pitch, the other members immediately followed, using their voices to form the melody.

Although their group was assigned by Shen Huaixi to have distinct styles, their vocal tones surprisingly blended well together.

During training, Su Xingyao had noticed this natural harmony in their voices and had tried acapella singing with the group on the first day of vocal training.

At the time, he just wanted to build their rapport, but unexpectedly…

They ended up using it in the live competition today.

“Press the shutter, let everything freeze in the summer

Happiness and smiles, bright and eternal”

Amid the purely harmonious vocal melody of his teammates, Su Xingyao’s clear and crisp voice resonated throughout the venue.

No one was out of sync, and no one sounded out of place.

When the five voices combined, their parts blended together like human instruments, perfectly merging into something naturally beautiful.

The audience at the scene was stunned by the clean and pure human voices, so much so that many forgot to wave their glow sticks.

In the livestream, the viewers were mesmerized by their strength, wisdom, courage, unity, and harmony.

【I’d believe it if they said they’ve been together for five years.】

【Damn, who said this group wasn’t good? They’re obviously the most suited to be together!】

【This group is so united, even as a bystander, I’m about to cry.】

【This song is supposed to be upbeat, but I’m so moved hearing it.】

【If it were a different team, they probably would’ve broken down when the BGM had problems in the second round…】

【But every time their group faces difficulty, someone always steps up. It must be so lucky to have teammates like this. Even when something goes wrong, there’s always someone to cover for you. And in the end, when there was no BGM, no one minded whether they sang more or less. With just one gesture from Maomao, the whole team followed him. The entire group felt so united. They really took this stage seriously and gave their all to complete the performance…】

【You have to be well-prepared to handle things this perfectly at the moment. They must have worked really hard in their practice, as shown in the VCR. They’ve put in a lot of effort.】

【Stop, stop, I’m about to cry!】

【I’m crying. This group is not just about their voices, it’s about the bond between them. It’s so pure and clean.】

On stage, after thirty-five seconds of acapella, the teammates silently lowered their microphones.

Standing in the center, Su Xingyao’s healing and joyful voice softly sang the last two lines of the song.

“This is summer~”

“Bright, passionate, and full of courage… summer.”

His clear, pure voice suddenly came to an end.

What remained was the heart-stirring, breathtaking silence.