Chapter 184: Chapter 82: The Leading Lady of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (21)

When it came to people who could pull strings at the Golden Microphone, Xia Zhaoyun knew of only two.

One was a fellow contestant, a famous and highly skilled performer who had long considered the gold prize to be in the bag. Naturally, she wouldn’t want a dark horse to suddenly appear.

The other was the son of the Golden Microphone’s head organizer and the first woman’s current boyfriend. They were in the throes of a passionate romance, so it wasn’t a stretch to think he might pull some strings for his sweetheart.

Even if Liu Mingkun had gotten Xu Weilin to promise he wouldn’t interfere, there were plenty of others eager to curry favor. Besides, the judges’ high praise for Xia Zhaoyun was genuine—all the couple had to do was ask around to find that out.

Then, they could just casually leak the information to a few contestants who were desperate to win and willing to play dirty. That way, they could reap the benefits without ever having to lift a finger.

But Xia Zhaoyun was a determined young woman. ’The more you try to block me and throw obstacles in my way, the more I want to win the championship just to spite every last one of them.’

"Brother Hao, can you help me borrow a piano?" A glint appeared in her eyes. She copied him and whispered in his ear, adding, "And a loudspeaker, if possible!"

Huo Tianhao gazed at the woman so close to him, his eyes dark and deep. ’She really trusts me, doesn’t she?’

He nodded. "Let’s have lunch together. After we eat, I’ll contact them as soon as the staff gets back to work."

Xia Zhaoyun smiled, her lips pursed. "Since I’m the one asking for a favor, it’s only right that I treat you to a meal."

Huo Tianhao raised an eyebrow. "You can owe me for this meal. To show you’re really sincere, you’ll have to treat me to a separate one later."

She tilted her head, studying him seriously. After a moment of contemplation, she couldn’t help but ask, her voice laced with doubt:

"Brother Hao, I’ve never believed that a truly platonic friendship can exist between a man and a woman. What starts with being like-minded eventually sours over time."

Her sixth sense told her he treated her differently.

Huo Tianhao chuckled and said with utmost sincerity, "Comrade Xia, you’re really overthinking things. Do all young women have such a high opinion of themselves these days? I just did what I was supposed to do."

"I shouldn’t have dragged you into our circle. The fact that you’re being targeted now is partly my fault."

"Besides, like you said, I need a shield—someone like you who won’t get entangled with me."

He had a rugged, handsome look, and when he was serious, he radiated a disarmingly righteous aura. Even if he claimed the sun rose in the west and set in the east, people would find themselves thinking he had a point.

Xia Zhaoyun nodded with an awkward smile. True, she was attractive enough to draw gazes from the opposite sex, but she wasn’t money—not everyone was going to like her.

Pushing the issue further would just seem deliberate. "Alright, maybe we’re both the exceptions, then."

「Soon, it was He Qingran’s turn on stage.」

She gripped the microphone, took a deep breath, and walked onto the stage. Her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes gazed out at the audience, who were hazy figures in the dim light. She imagined she was the only moon in the sky, unleashing every ounce of her youthful energy and passion for the judges and audience to feel.

On top of that, Xia Zhaoyun had helped her revise her script a few days prior, meticulously correcting her pronunciation, technique, and emotional delivery word by word. As a result, she delivered an outstanding performance.

The moment she came off stage, she excitedly grabbed Liu Mingkun’s hand and bounced on the spot. "Brother Kun, I did it! Brother Kun, I really did it! I’m sure I’ll make it to the finals, no problem!"

Liu Mingkun smiled and nodded, but the tips of his ears turned bright red. His heart began to race, all his focus drawn to the small, soft hand holding his.

The girl’s eyes were dazzlingly bright, like they held a scorching flame even in the dim light backstage.

"In that case, let’s go to the state-owned restaurant to celebrate. My treat. I can’t have you calling me ’brother’ for nothing, can I?" Liu Mingkun said with a laugh.

He Qingran quickly interjected, "If anyone’s treating, it should be me..."

Liu Mingkun burst out laughing. "Silly girl, who do you take me for? Don’t worry, I’m not the one paying anyway."

They sat on folding stools backstage, watching the other performances and waiting for the scores as they chatted in low voices.

Just as He Qingran had predicted, her score was high. She placed third in the morning session, and her score was good enough to rank in the top fifteen for the entire two-and-a-half-day competition.

As soon as the performances ended, the pair shot up and headed for the exit. Xia Zhaoyun and Huo Tianhao did the same, each holding a child. They slipped into the stream of people heading out before the main crowd emerged.

Once outside, He Qingran greeted them with a smile. She threw her arms around Xia Zhaoyun again, overcome with excitement and joy. It took her a moment to calm down before she spoke.

"Brother Kun went ahead to the state-owned restaurant to grab a table and order. He told us to take our time."

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