Perfect Superstar.

The golden button placed in the center of the judging panel seats symbolizes both luck and strength, offering a surprise "golden egg."

According to the rules of 'Singing China', each of the four judges has one opportunity in the qualification rounds to press the button, sending a contestant directly into the top 32. Later in the competition, during the semi-finals and subsequent rounds, they can press the button once more to revive an eliminated contestant.

Each judge is allowed two uses of this privilege, no more.

When Lin Zhijie pressed the golden button, he gave his "golden egg" to Lu Chen.

Lu Chen was fortunate enough to bypass the semi-finals, becoming the first contestant to enter the Capital City region's top 32!

"Wow!"

Chen Fei'er was so shocked she couldn't close her mouth, laughing, "Big Brother Zhijie, you're amazing!"

Tan Hong laughed heartily and gave Lin Zhijie a thumbs up.

Zhen Zhen stood up and led the audience in applauding for Lu Chen, as well as to cheer Lin Zhijie for his bold and generous gesture!

With Lin Zhijie's position and reputation in the industry, even if he had any personal thoughts about Lu Chen, he didn't need to explain himself. His act of pressing the button to support Lu Chen clearly showcased his open-mindedness.

Lu Chen was also surprised, but his reaction was quick. He immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Teacher Lin!"

The entire audience stood up, and their enthusiastic applause was like a storm in the summer.

When this scene appeared in Lu Fei's Live Streaming room, Lu Chen's fans went wild!

"Great judging panel of China!"

"Lu Fei is amazing, advancing directly to the top 32!"

"Forget everything else, let's smash Fish Balls! I'll start it off, everyone follow!"

"Huhai people send their congratulations, cheering for the host's advancement to the top 32!"

"Congrats, let's celebrate together!"

"Who is this judging panel member? He deserves praise."

"Lin Zhijie, music director of Flying Stone Records. He's quite a big shot."

"Do you think Lu Fei will release an album with Flying Stone?"

"Very possible! Looking forward to the host's first major album!"

"Just thinking about it is amazing."

Because of this golden egg, many people started following Lin Zhijie, even raising their expectations higher.

Fish Balls were being thrown like they were free, with hundreds of consecutive throws filling the screen, while the rich fans sent out dozens of Aircraft Carriers, pushing the Live Streaming room's atmosphere to its peak.

The host of the Live Streaming, Li Feiyu, was full of energy, his throat hoarse from shouting.

It felt as though he himself had won, sharing in the glory!

And the scene of Lu Chen claiming his place in the top 32 through the golden egg appeared on TV screens in countless homes across China, as well as on the computer screens of internet users, making his name unforgettable.

"Ye Zi, your taste is really sharp!"

In the dormitory area of Capital City Normal University, in Room 305 of Building 7, a few girls were gathered around a laptop watching the 'Singing China' qualification round's Live Streaming.

One of the girls, smiling, said to Ye Zi Tong, who was sitting on the bed, "This guy is a potential star— handsome and talented. You better grab him now, don't let someone else beat you to it, or you'll regret it!"

Ye Zi Tong blushed and replied, "What potential star? We're just friends. Whoever wants him can have him!"

She had known about Lu Chen entering 'Singing China' last week, and today had been eagerly watching the Live Streaming, drawing her roommates to come watch the excitement.

Ye Zi Tong didn't want to reveal too much, but her close friends knew the details, so everyone was aware.

Zuo Xingtian, swallowing the apple she was eating, teased, "You're just acting tough. Who was it that abandoned her best friends to sneak out and go on a date? I still haven't forgotten about that!"

Last time, Ye Zi Tong and Lu Chen had gone ice skating together, and after she returned, Zuo Xingtian had relentlessly interrogated her until she confessed, which had become evidence of her "betrayal" of their best friend bond.

Ye Zi Tong helplessly rubbed her forehead and said, "Didn't I treat you to Häagen-Dazs?"

"Two cups of ice cream can't bribe me!" Zuo Xingtian pinched Ye Zi Tong's cheek proudly. "You're dreaming if you think that will work!"

Ye Zi Tong grabbed her hand and laughed, "Fine, I'll get you two more cups, and you'll turn into a big fat girl!"

"Ah!"

Recently, Zuo Xingtian had gained two jin (about 1 kilogram), and she jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

She pounced on Ye Zi Tong, shouting, "I don't want to eat! I don't want to get fat!"

Laughter echoed in the small dorm room as the two girls playfully teased each other.

Ye Zi Tong and Zuo Xingtian were playfully teasing each other, but in her heart, Ye Zi Tong couldn't help but think of Lu Chen. She wondered what he was doing at this very moment.

Was he celebrating his victory? 

Was he alone, or with someone else?

She suddenly had the urge to call Lu Chen immediately, but Zuo Xingtian was holding her down, making it difficult for her to act on her impulse. 

…

By the time Lu Chen left the Capital City TV broadcasting building, it was already 10 p.m.

Having won the golden egg and secured his spot in the top 32, he had been interviewed by Capital City TV right after his performance, discussing his music journey, his dreams, and his thoughts on advancing.

Lu Chen had already filmed a short VCR video earlier, but since he was the first contestant to make it into the top 32 of the Capital City region, there were some additional highlights about him. Therefore, a follow-up video shoot was arranged.

In front of the camera, Lu Chen performed confidently, speaking eloquently without any signs of nervousness.

The reporters praised him for having star-like qualities and wished him luck in the upcoming top 32 vs top 16 battle next week.

The interview ended, and naturally, it was already quite late.

Standing at the door, looking at the bustling, brightly lit street ahead, Lu Chen took out his phone and unlocked it.

He had turned off his phone during the interview, out of courtesy.

There were many unread messages on his WeChat and Feixin, mostly congratulatory messages from friends and fans.

Since the broadcast had been an hour behind the live recording, the messages were fresh, and Lu Chen quickly picked out a few important ones to reply to, including one from Ye Zi Tong.

After responding to the messages, he returned a missed call.

The phone rang for three seconds before it was picked up, and Chen Jianhao's cheerful voice came through: "Lu Chen, congratulations!"

"Thank you!"

Lu Chen laughed and said, "Brother Jianhao, I promoted your bar!"

"I saw it," Chen Jianhao replied. "The ad was good, but it's not just mine. There's a share of it for you too!"

Lu Chen had a 5% stake in the Daylily Bar.

Lu Chen chuckled.

"Your song in the qualification round was great," Chen Jianhao continued. "What song are you planning to sing for the top 32?"

Lu Chen's mind shifted, and he asked, "Do you have any good suggestions, Brother Jianhao?"

Chen Jianhao responded, "I think 'My Old Classmate' is a great choice. It's also an original song, and you sing it really well."

Lu Chen had a feeling of understanding and smiled. "Alright, I'll go with your suggestion, Brother Jianhao."

Since Lu Chen started participating in the talent show, the owner of Daylily Bar had become a bit mysterious. 

But Lu Chen trusted him— he was sure he wouldn't harm him.

Chen Jianhao laughed, "That's good. Remember to come by the bar sometime. Many customers have been asking about you!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Lu Chen ended the call and dialed Li Feiyu's number.

"Big Chen!"

The moment Lu Chen heard Li Feiyu's voice, he was startled. "What happened to your voice?"

Li Feiyu's voice was hoarse and raspy, sounding as if his vocal cords had been rubbed with sandpaper.

Li Feiyu laughed hoarsely, saying, "I was too excited earlier today, shouting so much that I've lost my voice!"

"Big Chen, do you know how much we earned in tips during tonight's LiveStreaming? 70T— seventy!" 

He sounded incredibly excited, completely ignoring the state of his voice as he excitedly reported the good news to Lu Chen.

"Most of the tips came from the regular Lu family fans, with lots of Fish Balls!"

On any Live Streaming platform, including 'Whale TV', the main contributors to tips were usually wealthy fans or senior followers, but the power of ordinary fans shouldn't be underestimated. Even if just one-tenth of hundreds of thousands of fans donated 100 Fish Balls, it amounted to a substantial sum.

And getting 100-200 Fish Balls was easy to accumulate by completing free tasks on the platform.

This was undoubtedly the congratulatory gift from Lu Chen's Fish Fans!

"Alright, stop bragging now!" Lu Chen said decisively. "I'm coming over. Let's meet at the usual spot!"

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'(End of Chapter)'

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