Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

Staff pushed the ballot box onto the stage, where 101 media judges sat in the area directly in front of the stage, each holding a voting device.

"Round 1 - 101 judges from the general public, one vote per person."

大屏幕上的数字开始跳动。陈泳馨的票数先涨——1、2、3，涨到24票停了。许曜的票数从0开始跳，10、20、30、40、50、60、70——77票。

Chen Yongxin received 24 votes, and Xu Yao received 77 votes.

Na-young turned to Wang Feng and said something, to which Wang Feng nodded.

Hua Shao turned to Yang Kun: "Professor Yang Kun, the second round—you will score it. The maximum score is 100 points."

Yang Kun remained silent for a moment, then looked at Chen Yongxin and then at Xu Yao.

The two people stood on the stage, awaiting his decision.

"They're both my flesh and blood." Yang Kun's voice was a little hoarse. He picked up the scoring board on the table and wrote down two numbers.

The results popped up on the big screen—Chen Yongxin 50 points, Xu Yao 50 points.

The audience erupted in applause.

Na-young shouted, "Yang Kun, you're so fair!"

Yang Kun waved his hand without saying a word.

Hua Shao stood in the center of the stage, and the total score began to be calculated on the big screen.

Chen Yongxin: 24 + 50 = 74 points.

Xu Yao: 77 + 50 = 127 points.

Hua Shao took a deep breath and turned to the audience.

"The champion of Yang Kun's group is—"

"Xu Yao!"

The entire venue erupted in cheers once again.

Applause and screams surged up like a tsunami; some people in the audience stood up, and others waved glow sticks wildly.

Na-young stood up and applauded, Wang Feng stood up and applauded, and Qi Qin stood up and applauded.

Chen Yongxin stood on the stage, her eyes reddening.

She turned around, walked up to Xu Yao, and extended her hand.

"Brother Yao, congratulations."

Xu Yao grasped her hand and squeezed it firmly; "You sang very well."

Chen Yongxin smiled, turned around and walked off the stage.

When she reached the edge of the stage, she stopped and looked back at Xu Yao on stage.

Watching him shine like a star, his talent beginning to emerge.

Chen Yongxin had nothing to say about losing to him.

On the stage, Hua Shao walked over to Xu Yao and patted him on the shoulder.

"Xu Yao, is there anything you want to say to your mentor at this moment?"

Xu Yao held the microphone and looked at Yang Kun on the mentor's seat.

Yang Kun sat there, his eyes red.

Xu Yao seemed incredibly strong-willed, remaining calm and composed. With a smile, he shouted, "I didn't defeat the Yang family singers; I only represented them. The Yang family is determined to win the championship!"

Hua Shao stood in the center of the stage and shouted to the audience, "Xu Yao, champion of Yang Kun's group! See you in the finals!"

The entire venue erupted in cheers once again.

By the time the recording was finished, it was almost dawn.

Xu Yao came out of the waiting area and ran into Yang Kun in the corridor.

Yang Kun leaned against the wall, holding a bottle of water in his hand. When he saw Xu Yao, he handed it to him.

"Come on, let me treat you to dinner."

"Now?"

"What else? I have some business to take care of in Beijing tomorrow."

"Let's get together with a few of them: Chen Yongxin, Xu Jianqiu, and Yu Feng. This is the last time we'll get together."

It was 5:30 a.m. at a small barbecue restaurant next to the hotel.

There weren't many people in the shop; the owner was busy in front of the stove, the charcoal crackling.

Yang Kun sat at the innermost table and handed the menu to the owner: "Bring anything you like, grill whatever you want."

Chen Yongxin changed into a sweatshirt, but her hair was still wet.

"Brother Kun, is this a victory celebration?" Xu Jianqiu asked.

"Consider this a farewell dinner," Yang Kun said. "You guys go your separate ways tomorrow, and the next time we get together will be for the finals."

Xu Yao sat opposite Yang Kun, picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a glass of water, and gulped it down.

I was so tired and thirsty.

Yang Kun picked up a beer, pried open the bottle cap, and poured himself a glass.

Looking at the four people, he opened four more bottles, placing one in front of each person.

"Drink as much as you can, it's up to you."

He took a sip first, put down the cup, and looked at Xu Yao.

"Xu Yao".

"Um."

"I heard what you just shouted on stage."

Xu Yao looked at him.

"Thank you," Yang Kun said with deep emotion.

"No contestant has ever shouted 'The Yang family is determined to win the championship' on stage. It's not that they don't want to, it's that they think it's hopeless. Even I think it's hopeless."

"But you shouted it out. After you shouted it out, I suddenly felt that it wasn't entirely impossible."

A thought flashed through Yang Kun's mind.

He always sat on the sidelines watching others compete for the championship during the finals.

When the production team approached him to discuss the competition format and the selection of contestants, he never argued, because he knew he was there to play a supporting role.

The title of "running mentor" is not without reason.

But Xu Yao is different.

This fat man turned the impossible into possible time and time again, starting from the blind selection process.

Maybe this time, things will really be different.

Perhaps this time, I can truly become a champion mentor and make up for my regrets.

Thinking of this, Yang Kun picked up his glass and clinked it with Xu Yao's.

Chen Yongxin sat next to him, not saying much.

She held a beer glass in her hand, taking small sips.

Xu Yao turned to look at her: "You sang 'Me' really well today."

Chen Yongxin paused for a moment, then smiled: "Thank you, Brother Yao."

"I'm serious. When you sang the line 'I am who I am,' I got goosebumps backstage."

Chen Yongxin smiled and asked, "Then why didn't you cry?"

"Why should I cry?" Xu Yao asked, puzzled.

"Because Nayoung cried when I sang it."

"Teacher Nayoung is Teacher Nayoung, and I am me. I am a tough guy."

Xu Jianqiu burst out laughing from the side: "Brother Yao, you're an elephant dancing on stage in a muscle-bound bodysuit, and you call yourself a tough guy?"

Everyone burst into laughter...

"It's getting late, everyone raise your glasses."

Yang Kun interrupted, and the four students picked up their cups.

"The first toast is to yourselves."

Yang Kun's gaze swept across everyone's face.

"You have all done your best to get to where you are today, and you all have something to be proud of."

Five glasses clinked together, and beer foam splashed out.

After finishing her drink, Chen Yongxin took out a small notebook from her pocket, opened it, and handed it to Yu Feng, who was standing next to her.

"Yu Feng, could you sign this for me?"

"It's not a fan meeting."

Despite saying that, Yu Feng still took the pen and carefully wrote down his name.

"Xu Yao, it's your turn." Chen Yongxin handed over the notebook.

Xu Yao took the pen and signed his name below Yu Feng's.

Xu Jianqiu's last draw.

When he took the notebook, his fingers touched Chen Yongxin's fingers.

The two paused simultaneously. Chen Yongxin withdrew her hand, while Xu Jianqiu lowered his head and wrote his name on the paper.

Yang Kun signed the last autograph, then said, "You fellow apprentices, if any of you become famous in the future, don't pretend you don't know us. You should help each other out."

"Did you hear that, Yao-ge? Remember to help us out when you become famous," Chen Yongxin quickly said.

"You're a beautiful woman, and I'm a fat guy. Who knows who'll become famous in the future?" Xu Yao replied with a smile.

"Brother Yao, if you lose any more weight you won't be fat anymore." Chen Yongxin tilted her head and looked at him. "But if you successfully lose weight, your fans won't recognize you when you walk down the street, hehe."

Xu Yao smiled and said, "It's best if you don't recognize me, then I can eat my barbecue in peace."

Chen Yongxin laughed too: "Keep losing weight. If you lose weight, maybe I'll actually like you."

The atmosphere at the table froze instantly.

The kebab in Xu Jianqiu's hand stopped in mid-air.

Yu Feng lowered his head and drank his beer in large gulps, pretending not to hear.

Yang Kun leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling with a faint, enigmatic smile on his lips.

Xu Yao looked at Chen Yongxin, and Chen Yongxin looked back at him, her expression neither shy nor evasive.

"Then you'll have to wait in line," Xu Yao said.

Chen Yongxin was taken aback: "What line?"

"I've really lost weight, and so many people like me now."

Chen Yongxin burst out laughing, bending over with laughter, almost dropping the chicken wing in her hand onto the table.

Xu Jianqiu laughed along, though it sounded a bit forced.

Before long, the dinner party for the top four contestants of Yang Kun's team came to an end.

Xu Jianqiu stood up and looked at Chen Yongxin.

"Shall I take you home?"

"No need, it's very close." Chen Yongxin stood up and stuffed the notebook into her pocket.

Xu Jianqiu nodded and did not insist further.

He watched Chen Yongxin walk further and further away, then suddenly called out, "Yongxin."

Chen Yongxin stopped and turned around.

Keep going, keep it up!

Chen Yongxin smiled: "You too."

Xu Jianqiu watched her figure disappear into the morning light and stood there for a long time.

Xu Yao walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's go."

"Brother Yao, I suddenly feel like I've just gone through a breakup after the college entrance exam," Xu Jianqiu sighed.

Xu Yao nodded: "Remember this feeling. It's a sign that you're about to become a simp. She really doesn't like you."

"Xu Yao, instead of comforting me, you're making fun of me?"

Xu Jianqiu looked displeased.

If you lose the finals, I'll be the first to laugh at you.

Xu Yao glanced at him: "Then you won't have a chance to laugh at me. The championship is a piece of cake."

Jokes are jokes.

Zhou Shen, Zhang Bichen, Parhat... This can be considered the toughest battle for the championship in the most challenging season of The Voice of China.