59. The Promise

If anyone in this arena has attended the most concerts here, it would undoubtedly be Bai Haonan and Chen Sufen. Both grew up in the sports team, especially the football squad, which has always been intertwined with Jiangzhou’s largest sports center. The club offices and training grounds are adjacent to the arena, and though the city’s growth prompted a move to a newer stadium, every major concert in Jiangzhou has always been accessible to the footballers—they know exactly which fire exit to slip through, or at worst, watch from the main grandstand’s lounge behind glass.

So Chen Sufen’s gaze rarely lingered on the crowd; her profile was fixed on Bai Haonan, whose face was dappled in colored lights. He, it seemed, only grew energetic and excited when courting women. The table tennis girl played coy during the first two songs, but by the third, it appeared that Brother Nan had stealthily slipped his hand beneath her blouse!

Perhaps feeling the scrutiny, Bai Haonan glanced sideways and noticed Chen Sufen peeking across several seats, signaling her to look elsewhere. Chen Sufen rolled her eyes, then puckered her lips and blew him a kiss, before turning to chat with the oldest nurse. Their conversation, curiously, centered on the inevitable social outings and flirtations men engage in; she advised her elder, Ah Hao, to keep hygiene in mind and never let him mingle with those dubious women.

The nurses were startled, realizing this seemingly nonchalant, slender girl was not to be underestimated; whatever home field confidence they had vanished.

At last, the announcer called contestant 016, Qiao Yingna, to the stage. Sensing something, Chen Sufen glanced at Bai Haonan, who was already looking back. Both smirked mischievously.

The would-be flight attendant shouted, “That’s it! Sister Qiao, that’s it!”

The arena dimmed; the singer climbed out from behind the stepped stage, taking her place. In a zonal contest, one could not expect elaborate stage designs—this simple depth effect was impressive enough. A spotlight fell on Qiao Yingna.

Truthfully, her shortcomings lay beyond her singing. In a bar, even a ghost could be made up to look passable, the voice alone captivating the ear. But on stage, physique, stride, and stage presence mattered; it was nothing like swaying lazily with a floor mic in a bar. Qiao Yingna had devoted nearly a month’s training to this, but seemed more at ease with these last-minute cues. Amid the deafening prelude, the two flight attendant hopefuls called out:

“Pull in your stomach!”

“Open your shoulders!”

“Chin up, chest out!”

“I’m going to kill…”

By the last line, nearly all nine girls jumped up, laughing and shouting together. The table tennis girl gleefully tumbled into Bai Haonan’s arms, pleasing him.

Because their seats were beside the massive speakers, their shouts barely reached the stage or the audience. Yet, in the layered musical intro, Qiao Yingna followed these steps, displaying her petite, almost sweet figure with an air of proud sharpness. If you compared her stance to someone intent on murder, she truly exuded a queenly aura, a sense of surveying the world from above.

Despite the host’s announcement that this was a somewhat melancholic love song, Qiao Yingna’s attitude, so distinct from previous contestants, instantly quieted the lively venue.

Perhaps this was the so-called charisma. Had she remained the bar singer, head bowed in a corner, she would have forever been a background noise in the noisy nightlife, unnoticed. But tonight, she was the lone performer before thousands.

Her facial expressions were still those she had mastered in the bar—eyes half closed, unaffected by the scene. Her first note, as her lips parted, revealed her unique timbre and penetrating force.

It was as if there was an expansive space before her, and her slightly husky voice pierced through it, reaching deep into each listener’s heart.

Sometimes, things are just magical.

The organizers repeatedly emphasized to every participant: this is a show, capturing the audience’s attention is paramount. All hype and operations revolve around the spectacle, and singing is for showcasing your own strengths. Costumes and image are managed by others, yet few notice the crucial first impression those few seconds on stage create.

No one valued first impressions more than those two flight attendant hopefuls—perhaps akin to Bai Haonan’s own debut as a would-be gigolo, where the initial impression was everything.

Many contestants overlooked this, rushing to flaunt themselves on stage. In front of crowds who didn’t know them, the noisy atmosphere rarely allowed anyone to settle and truly listen, making it hard for their voices to linger in memory.

But Qiao Yingna excelled at singing amidst chaos; her voice seemed designed to slice through noise, not relying on dazzling high notes or trembling lows, but captivating from close by, tugging at heartstrings with subtle allure. Combined with her commanding entrance, she maintained a tranquil space for the next few minutes—a precious, fleeting interval where anyone would pause their frantic steps to listen closely.

Her voice carried clearly to everyone—not only in the arena, but to viewers on television and online. This singer’s voice was extraordinary!

The venue was hushed, all attention fixed on the storyteller on stage. In this dreamlike state every singer longs for, the audience was spellbound…

Bai Haonan, too, was lost in the moment, feeling the soft warmth in his arms as the girl beside him, entranced by the music, unconsciously responded to him. When the final lines came—“Even if your broad chest cannot withstand the weather… even with graying temples, I would recognize you…”—her voice faded like silk and tears, and the table tennis girl curled completely into Bai Haonan’s embrace.

Brother Haonan was overjoyed!

Dressed in a black, mature dress, Qiao Yingna bowed deeply at the end, then withdrew silently amidst the hush. The audience seemed captivated, their applause, screams, and clamor only erupting when the host returned to the stage, culminating in a unified chant: “Encore!”

The host, surprised, reminded, “Just now, the contestant didn’t deliver her speech or campaign declaration. Let’s welcome contestant 016, Qiao Yingna, back to express her thanks…”

Statistics later showed that at this very moment, online voting numbers soared!

Especially as Qiao Yingna, somewhat bewildered, returned shyly: “Sorry, I was so invested in that song, I forgot I was in a competition. After singing, I just wanted to be alone backstage… Sorry…” Her demeanor and gestures were utterly natural, nothing staged or scripted.

Thunderous applause!

Some achievements are earned by skill, others by the fortuitous convergence of many factors. The proud entrance, the penetrating voice, the singer’s absorbed state after finishing, and her clean background as a professional doctor—all combined to move the audience, impressing both judges and spectators…

Sister Mai said that, at that moment, she decided to bet everything on her.

This was an unpolished gem, a diamond worth refining.