Chapter 58: A Song of the Mermaid, Fame Across Campus

In the audience, Liu Hanyue laughed heartlessly and said, “What a massive social disaster. He must be so embarrassed now that he can’t even play. Hehe…”

“Yueyue, don’t you wish Cheng Yao would make some risqué request of you, just to prove he still has feelings for you?”

“As if!”

Sitting beside her, Lu Mengyao glanced at Liu Hanyue.

Hmph.

Sure, you’re pretty, but you’ve got no curves—truly a flat-chested princess, reincarnated! As a girl, Lu Mengyao envied Liu Hanyue’s face and her great proportions, but alas, the curves just weren’t where they should be.

That was her disadvantage, especially since that scoundrel of a man happened to have a particular preference.

While Lu Mengyao was quietly amused, a figure suddenly caught her eye.

Lu Mengyao’s eyes widened as if she’d seen a ghost; her face turned pale with fright.

Cheng Yao’s girlfriend was here, checking up on him!

She’d caught him red-handed!

Flustered like a thief, Lu Mengyao edged away and lowered her head, her mind in chaos.

Wasn’t she supposed to be at the Conservatory? No classes tonight?

That slender figure squeezed into the very front, gazing at Cheng Yao on stage, her eyes suddenly shining. “Looks like I’m not too late. I’m exhausted—give me some water.”

“Here.”

With their good looks, Rong Xuelin and her friends quickly made their way to the front. The boys in the audience gave up their spots without hesitation—how wonderful.

Li Yingshan fanned herself with her small hand and said helplessly, “All this just to hear one song? You really have too much time on your hands! We must be out of our minds to follow you all the way here!”

“Hehe, I’ll treat you all to a late-night snack afterward!” Zhang Ya said with a laugh.

Cheng Linlin sighed. “Where are we staying tonight? We could get a cheap motel, but they’re so uncomfortable.”

“I’ll take you all to Cheng Yao’s place; he’s got plenty of room.”

“Oh my, are we not going to interrupt you two lovebirds doing what you like to do? If we go to his place, won’t he be mad? Disturbing your alone time—he won’t be mad, right? Your boyfriend is kind of scary,” Cheng Linlin teased with a giggle.

A smirk curled Zhang Ya’s lips as she shot her a mischievous look and whispered, “Scary or not, I don’t know. But if you’re really that concerned, I can skip showering after I’m done with Cheng Yao and let the scent linger. Then you can have a whiff and feel like you were part of it—how does that sound?”

“!”

That was too much for Cheng Linlin to handle. She reached out and pinched her. “Are you insane? I’ll tell your husband and let him wear you out tonight!”

Hmph.

Trying to play games with me?

Zhang Ya’s face was full of disdain—was that the best she could do?

“All right, enough. It’s starting,” she said.

Cheng Linlin couldn’t help but joke, “I remember you said your boyfriend’s singing skills weren’t that great. He’ll probably just make it through the first round and be done.”

“Shut up. No one will think you’re mute if you don’t speak.”

“Zhang Ya, your boyfriend plays guitar and sings, but does playing guitar even earn him extra points? Is he some kind of virtuoso?”

“Just be quiet…”

…

“Cheng Yao, if you’re ready, you can begin,” the music teacher said.

“All right. I’d like to dedicate ‘Mermaid’ by JJ Lin to everyone. Thank you.”

Cheng Yao nodded gently and strummed his guitar. Truth be told, he didn’t need the guitar to set the mood, but it helped evoke emotion. For the singer, though, it was a bit of a hindrance.

This meant he had to split his focus.

As the melody began, his unique voice rang out, creating the sensation of a mermaid’s tail swirling the water.

I draw a circle in the sand
A tranquil world just for the two of us
No need to connect with anyone else
I don’t care if you’re from the abyss
Or the scales on your body
Love can overcome everything, oh yeah

Cheng Yao had studied this song for hours. While he couldn’t surpass the original, he could imitate it to a remarkable degree—at least eighty or ninety percent similar.

Most importantly, he relied on his “heavenly voice,” which allowed him to control pitch and rhythm perfectly.

In reality, even professional singers cannot guarantee they’re always in top form.

But he could—and that was enough.

As soon as he began singing, a commotion swept through the audience. The music teacher and judges were astonished and listened intently.

Unlike the others, Rong Xuelin’s eyes widened as she stared at the figure on stage.

She’d heard Zhang Ya say Cheng Yao’s singing was nothing special… “Mermaid” was considered one of JJ Lin’s easier songs—just a bit of falsetto and head voice, and it sounded easy enough.

But she knew it was actually very difficult to sing.

Yet here he was, his pitch and rhythm flawless, his skill level astonishing—he had perfectly mimicked a very challenging song.

And, he poured genuine emotion into it, making listeners’ hearts flutter.

Whether a song is truly good—being able to feel that tingle inside is the ultimate proof.

Li Yingshan and Cheng Linlin listened, utterly absorbed.

Zhang Ya covered her mouth, too excited to remember what she wanted to say, her eyes sparkling with stars.

A quote came to her mind:

The moment I met him, my life changed.

Everything I see, hear, and feel becomes vibrant and colorful; the whole world begins to shine!

See?

Stars only dazzle in the night!

On stage, Cheng Yao was completely immersed in his performance. To be honest, there wasn’t much room for improvisation—handling voice and guitar at once was a challenge.

But how could he miss such a perfect moment to show off? The entire school’s top pick for a boyfriend—he wanted it all!

Thankfully, his masterful guitar skills allowed him to handle it with ease.

As long as you’re by my side
All the rumors and gossip fade into nothing
Don’t let it be just a fleeting encounter
Don’t vanish beyond the horizon with a turn
In the legend, you willingly stranded yourself for love
I, too, can dive into the sea for you

“No way, is this JJ Lin himself?”

“This is unreal, but I have to say, the imitation is spot on—at least eighty percent similar!”

“Hmph, I still prefer Zhou’s version of ‘Mermaid.’”

“Oh, please, stop being difficult. JJ Lin’s ‘Mermaid’ is the only version I like!”

The contestants felt hopeless. They’d already heard rumors of a dark horse, and after this performance, it was clear who would come in first. The pressure was immense.

In the legend, you willingly stranded yourself for love
I, too, can dive into the sea for you

Wang Churu clenched her fists, her cheeks flushed, wanting to shout, “Cheng Yao, you can do it!”

So handsome, and he sings well too!

Wang Wenbo stood up and cheered, “Cheng Yao, you’re incredible, man!”

Liu Hanyue’s big, sparkling eyes were full of disbelief. She suddenly felt she’d dug her own hole and jumped in willingly, like a fool.

For a moment, she pressed her knees together and bit her lip.

He… surely wouldn’t make any outrageous requests, would he?

As the song ended and the melody faded away, Cheng Yao took a deep breath, bowed, and left the stage.

“The next contestant, please get ready.”

Wang Yuting came to her senses and said, “Teacher, I think he deserves full marks for tone and quality.”

“I’m giving full marks for performance technique!”

…