Chapter 134: She Is Qin Haiyu! [Second Update]

Qin Haiyu had assumed that "Patrick Star" would be the first to take the stage, followed by herself. When Ni Qiqin announced that she would be performing first, she was momentarily stunned.

Didn't her husband say that "Patrick Star's" program popularity had surpassed hers? How did she end up being first again? Although being the first to perform was a surprise, the thought that her popularity was higher than "Patrick Star's" made her feel much better. She began to feel a little smug. This meant that the audience liked her even more than they liked him! Consequently, it also meant she had a slightly better chance of winning the championship than he did.

She cheered herself on silently: "Come on, Qin Haiyu! You must win the championship trophy to give to your husband! Otherwise, it would be a disservice to all the effort he put into preparing these original songs for you!"

Since the grand finale was being broadcast live, Qin Haiyu could not delay. After Ni Qiqin finished her introduction, she immediately walked onto the stage. At this moment, tens of thousands of audience members were cheering, and the entire main venue was buzzing with excitement.

At the judges' table, the four judges were not surprised when they saw the song information displayed on the big screen, as they had grown accustomed to it. If the screen had displayed anything other than an original song by "Red Rose," they might have been surprised instead. The lights on the stage dimmed, and the accompaniment began to echo throughout the arena. As the music started, the previously excited audience quieted down one by one.

"Discard the past,
Now you are before my eyes.
I want to love,
Please give me a chance..."

This was another original song ostensibly written and composed by "Red Rose." As the prelude played and Qin Haiyu's voice echoed through the venue, the audience fell into a collective silence.

Teacher Wu remarked with admiration to himself: "It really is an original! I knew there was no way the grand finale would be without an original song!"

By this point in the show, Teacher Wu had already deduced the identity of "Red Rose." Last year, he had participated in *I Am a Singer* alongside Qin Haiyu and had praised her voice as truly heavenly. When she failed to break into the competition that time, he had famously said that the *I Am a Singer* stage could survive without him, but not without Qin Haiyu.

Two weeks ago, when Qin Haiyu participated in the semi-finals, Teacher Wu felt that the song "Little Love Song" had already exposed her identity. Now, this song, "Partiality," made him certain that "Red Rose" was indeed Qin Haiyu. When she sang love songs, her emotionally rich voice was simply too recognizable. It was a habit formed over time; even when she tried to suppress her voice to sing, she inevitably reverted to her signature style.

Thus, Teacher Wu’s nodding praise was not just for her singing, but also for the musical talent of her husband. He knew that all the original songs she sang on this show must have been written by him. Since Qin Haiyu was not a songwriter by trade, the image of a "singer-songwriter" she had cultivated on the show was merely to mislead the audience into believing she wasn't actually Qin Haiyu. But now, it seemed that tactic was no longer effective. This song, "Partiality," had completely exposed her.

At home, Mother Yu was watching the live broadcast while holding her granddaughter. After her daughter-in-law took the stage, she took the baby's small hands and clapped, saying, "Look, it's Mommy! Baby, hurry and clap for Mommy!"

The baby clapped her little hands and chirped adorably, "Mommy, go-go!"

Mother Yu laughed, "Not 'go-go,' it's 'go-go'—wait, it's 'cheer'! G-o, go!"

The baby mimicked her clumsily, "G-o, go-go!"

"You little silly!" Mother Yu ruffled her granddaughter’s hair. At only a year and a half old, being able to understand and say so many words was already impressive. She would teach her proper pronunciation when she was older; now wasn't the time for rigorous study. As a teacher, she never forced education on her children, grandchildren, or students. There was a time for play and a time for learning.

Looking at the television, the baby’s large eyes flickered with confusion. She blinked her long, curved lashes and asked in a tiny, milky voice, "Grandma, why is Mommy wearing a flower?"

Mother Yu explained, "Because Mommy wants to give everyone a surprise!"

A surprise? It was a word she didn't know. The baby continued to look at her mother—who was singing while wearing a rose mask—with confusion, nodding her head as if she half-understood.

"If I am wrong, I will bear it.
I have decided you are the answer.
I am not afraid of those who mock my extremes.
Trusting my own intuition,
A stubborn person doesn't call out for exhaustion.
Falling for you, I will not retreat..."

The song was beautiful, but the baby was still too young to understand the lyrics. Perhaps due to the musical talent inherited from her parents, the little one had caught the rhythm and was happily clapping her hands in time with the music.

Backstage, Yu Zhile was still acting: "What a great song, 'Partiality'! I have no chance at the championship this time!"

"Lone Wolf" asked curiously, "Since 'Red Rose' prepared an original for the finale, you must have prepared one too, right?"

"Ahem, yes, I have." Yu Zhile stopped pretending. After all, he would be the second to perform after his wife finished. He thought this performance order was quite good. The couple would start the show with two great original songs, naturally putting pressure on the three masked singers who followed.

"Old Boy" asked, "Do you think 'Red Rose' is really Qin Haiyu? If so, these original songs must have been written by her husband!"

"Lone Wolf" replied, "There’s no doubt about it; she is Qin Haiyu! If she isn't, I’ll eat my microphone on air tonight! As for 'Patrick Star'..." He glanced at Yu Zhile and said, "I'm still torn—did I guess wrong, or are you just acting too well?"

Yu Zhile was slightly surprised; it seemed "Lone Wolf" had guessed his identity! He smiled slightly: "No need to be torn. It's the grand finale already; the truth will come out soon!"

"True!" "Lone Wolf" shook his head and laughed. If his guess was correct, he would likely be nothing more than cannon fodder for this couple tonight.

Meanwhile, the other two masked singers were completely bewildered. What did "Lone Wolf" mean by saying "Patrick Star" was acting well? Had he figured out "Patrick Star's" identity?