Chapter 136: One Song Decides Victory or Defeat [Fourth Update]

In the second round of the grand finale, Yu Zhile performed a song titled "Wolf."

He walked to the center of the stage, cradling his guitar. When the band’s vocal harmony—simulating the howling of wolves—echoed through the venue, everyone in the audience felt goosebumps. This was an opening arrangement Yu Zhile had specifically requested. Hearing the howls blended into the accompaniment, he nodded with satisfaction and began to sing his slightly adapted version of "Wolf."

"I am a wolf from the north,
Walking across the boundless wilderness.
The shrill northern wind blows past,
The drifting yellow sands sweep by..."

The lonely lyrics painted the story of a wolf roaming the northern desert. Backstage, "Lone Wolf" finally understood what "Old Boy" must have felt when he heard the song "Old Boy." At this moment, he couldn't help but admire "Patrick Star"; he never expected that this guy would have specially prepared these two songs for them during the show!

"I only grit my cold teeth,
And let out two long howls.
Not for anything else,
But for that legendary, beautiful grassland..."

After this verse, the tempo of the music suddenly accelerated. A man from the band walked toward Yu Zhile while carrying an electric guitar, helping him strap it on. When Yu Zhile began to play with abandon, the entire audience was stunned.

"Is this rock music?"
"Patrick Star actually switched to rock?"
"That’s incredible! This guy is like a deep-sea bomb in this show!"

Teacher Wu couldn't stop praising him: "The arrangement is fantastic! I never imagined he would turn this song into a rock track!"

Backstage, Qin Haiyu began to feel nervous and anxious. "Patrick Star" was simply too strong! Winning the championship felt like a daunting task now. She had already lost to him in the first round; if she lost the second, she wouldn't have much confidence left for the final championship showdown. At this point, her composure had been shaken, and a sense of invisible pressure began to emerge.

On stage, Yu Zhile was fully immersed in the performance. This was his first time singing rock on the show. In order to beat his wife and win the title, he had pulled out all the stops and was giving it his all. This rendition of "Wolf" was his trump card in the aggressive push for the championship. By the time he finished the passionate performance, Yu Zhile was drenched in sweat inside his mascot costume.

Sure enough, singing rock was not only hard on the throat but also physically draining. After the audience cast their votes, he retreated to his private dressing room to strip off the costume and wipe away his sweat. Once he cooled down, he put the costume back on and returned to the backstage area to join the other singers.

At that moment, Qin Haiyu was on stage performing her second song of the night, "Slowly Loving You." It was another original song prepared for her by Yu Zhile—a romantic ballad perfectly suited to her style.

Yu Zhile commented with a theatrical flair, "Not bad, this song is great!"

Having already removed his mask, Zhang Qingsong ("Old Boy") stared at Yu Zhile and asked, "Who exactly are you? Do we know each other?"

Yu Zhile coughed, "Would it be hurtful if I said no?"

Zhang Qingsong asked, "Was this song 'Old Boy' written specifically for me?"

Yu Zhile replied awkwardly, "To be honest, no."

Zhang Qingsong was speechless.

"Lone Wolf" asked, "What about 'Wolf'? Was that song written for me?"

Yu Zhile answered, "Neither was that!"

"Lone Wolf" asked, "So, we don't know each other?"

Yu Zhile nodded. "Lone Wolf" suddenly realized, "I know who you are! I had actually guessed it correctly, but I didn't expect you two to act so well that I was almost fooled!"

Zhang Qingsong looked bewildered. "Why can't I understand a single word you guys are saying? Old Zhou, tell me, who is he?"

"Lone Wolf" replied in silence, "I am not Zhou Jian! Stop calling me that! Quiet, quiet, just listen to the music. Once the competition is over, the truth will come out naturally!"

Zhang Qingsong felt helpless. Fortunately, this was the grand finale; otherwise, he would have pestered "Lone Wolf" until he revealed "Patrick Star's" identity.

After Qin Haiyu finished "Slowly Loving You," it was "Lone Wolf's" turn to take the stage. As he had thought from the beginning, he was just here to be cannon fodder for the couple, Qin Haiyu and her husband. However, he was content with taking third place. Consequently, he gave up on trying to win during this performance. With his confidence shattered, he didn't sing with much passion. When the final votes were tallied, he finished in third place with the lowest score, missing out on the final championship showdown.

When he unveiled his face, the audience cheered, though the judges and other singers remained unmoved, as they had long guessed he was indeed Zhou Jian.

Next came the main event! "Patrick Star" and "Red Rose" would now face off in a final showdown. Once again, "Patrick Star" went first, followed by "Red Rose." When the big screen displayed the information for "Patrick Star's" upcoming performance, the entire venue erupted!

Backstage, Qin Haiyu was dumbfounded, her eyes fixed on the screen:

"Red Rose"
Lyrics: Patrick Star
Composer: Patrick Star
Performer: Patrick Star

This guy had actually written a song with the exact same name as her stage persona! If it weren't for the preceding songs "Old Boy" and "Wolf," she would have suspected "Patrick Star" was doing it on purpose. Fortunately, having seen the previous examples, Qin Haiyu felt that even if her husband saw this guy writing a song related to her, he wouldn't be too jealous or angry.

At the same time, Qin Haiyu was filled with admiration. "Patrick Star" was truly talented! Her own confidence had taken a hit; she felt she probably wouldn't be taking the championship trophy home to give to her husband. But losing to such an opponent, she was convinced and had no complaints. In fact, if she were to win, her true identity would be revealed, and she might face backlash from the audience. After all, the original songs she performed on the show were not written by her, but by her husband. Winning against "Patrick Star" would feel like an unfair victory.

Thinking this way, her desire to win faded. She only felt sorry for her husband, as she hadn't been able to fulfill the promise she made to him.

"What you can't get is always restless,
Those who are favored are fearless.
The red of the rose is a fragile dream,
Held in the hand, yet slipping through the fingers..."

The lyrics and the voice were truly superb! Qin Haiyu was genuinely impressed. Based on the audience's reaction, she knew it would be difficult for her to beat "Patrick Star."

Soon, "Patrick Star" finished his performance, and after the audience cast their votes, it was Qin Haiyu's turn. She had no original songs left, as her husband had only prepared two for her, both of which had already been performed. This was another reason why she felt she would lose to "Patrick Star." Although her cover song was beautiful, the audience didn't seem as eager or delighted since it was no longer an original composition.

Backstage, Yu Zhile chuckled to himself. As a precaution, he had only prepared two originals for his wife, suggesting she use them in the first two rounds. This meant that if he met his wife in the final, he was guaranteed to win!

Everything was going exactly as he had planned! Yu Zhile felt a thrill of secret joy; he couldn't believe he was actually going to win the championship!