After the Top Idol Omega and I Started Living Together - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The recording hall had dim lights, and the audience seats with glowing light sticks looked like a reversed night sky.

Lu Zhao lowered her head and gently closed her eyes, holding the microphone with both hands, standing solemnly in this sea of stars lit for her.

This was the first time since her debut that Lu Zhao sang quietly and simply on stage.

Without dance moves or backup singers, she wrapped her voice around the lyrics written by Jing Yuan, captivating hearts with just her pure sound.

The melody of Nanzhou carried a sense of being both in and out of the world, and Lu Zhao, reciting Cantonese that wasn’t entirely familiar to her, poured all her emotions into it.

From the moment she began singing, it became a battle she had to win.

She didn’t want to fail.

Sweat seemed to slide down Lu Zhao’s neck, quietly stopping at her throat.

The air conditioner’s breeze cooled the droplet, just like the touch of Sheng Jingyu’s fingers that lingered there that day, as vines curled and emerged from the soil.

Memories always jumped out at the most tense moments, and in the darkness of her closed eyes, Lu Zhao saw Sheng Jingyu’s profile.

Sunlight always seemed bright in front of Sheng Jingyu, who sat at the piano, calm and elegant.

Lu Zhao didn’t know how deep this person’s musical talent was, but Sheng Jingyu noticed every one of her shortcomings.

Her current singing voice was carefully crafted by this person.

She also wanted to stand by her side one day, capable and independent.

She didn’t want to fail.

She especially didn’t want to disappoint Sheng Jingyu.

Over the years, Lu Zhao experienced too many failures, and too many people doubted and left her because of them.

She didn’t want Sheng Jingyu to end up the same way.

Her singing voice murmured, like threads of thoughts tightly woven together, an unnamed bond freshly tied to Lu Zhao’s wrist.

With urgency and a struggle that exhausted all her strength, Lu Zhao gripped the microphone tightly.

She recalled the slight coolness of Sheng Jingyu’s touch on her neck and sang the song’s final line: “I and you, in this life, rarely meet—”

That voice leaped from the water, then soared sharply with the steep waterfall, clear and bright.

Splashes of water scattered into the audience, the song echoed, lingering unforgettable, and the entire recording hall fell exceptionally quiet.

Thump, thump…

As the song reached its climax, Lu Zhao kept her eyes closed.

Only her slightly heavy breathing from the high note filled her ears, making her somewhat uneasy.

This unease was a punishment for her lack of confidence.

The long moment actually lasted only half a second.

Then, thunderous applause rang in Lu Zhao’s ears.

She suddenly opened her eyes and saw the once-dark audience area light up with countless white glow sticks because of her.

The audience cheered and clapped for her.

Looking up, three lights shone for her from the mentors’ seats.

From left to right, they were Lin Yueling, Shen Yuanqing, and Zhou Huanyin.

Only Wu Ai in the middle didn’t light up for Lu Zhao.

In the dim light, her expression looked serious.

It was unclear what she was thinking or if she regretted something.

But that wasn’t what Lu Zhao noticed.

Her gaze fixed on the three lights shining for her in the darkness, their bright and piercing white glow deeply etched in her mind.

She was no longer the one left behind; she was the one chosen.

Three mentors wanted her, just as her teacher had said.

For the first time, Lu Zhao lost willingly.

“Lu Zhao, right? You sang this song very well. Do you like Jing Yuan a lot?”

As she thought this, Zhou Huanyin pulled Lu Zhao’s thoughts back.

This person sat beside Shen Yuanqing, her wavy hair like seaweed, and her loose sleeveless dress outlined her carefree demeanor.

Hearing this, Lu Zhao quickly snapped back, nodding and admitting, “Hmm, I like Jing Yuan a lot.”

Zhou Huanyin was very satisfied with Lu Zhao’s singing, even appreciative, and brought up the original singer, Jing Yuan: “I’m not exaggerating, but if Jing Yuan heard your cover of her song, she’d come to listen to it on purpose.”

“You gave her song a different flavor, very pleasant and fitting. She’d definitely be happy.”

Zhou Huanyin’s words carried a familiarity with Jing Yuan.

That wasn’t surprising, as she was Jing Yuan’s only close friend in the industry, and the two often hung out together in the past.

Most of Jing Yuan’s candid photos were with Zhou Huanyin.

Receiving recognition from Jing Yuan’s friend, Lu Zhao’s usually calm face couldn’t help but curve into a smile.

She gave Zhou Huanyin a slight bow, polite and sincere: “Thank you, teacher.”

Zhou Huanyin keenly noticed Lu Zhao’s fondness for Jing Yuan and immediately said, “Then join my team, okay? My team might invite Jing Yuan to give you lessons.”

This was a promising talent with a stable voice and a good throat.

In an era obsessed with looks, she also had a stunning Alpha face that could charm countless Omegas!

Although Zhou Huanyin’s unspoken standard on this show was to recruit complete newcomers to train, she could make an exception for Lu Zhao.

Though this girl had debuted, she hadn’t gained much traction in two years, and Zhou Huanyin didn’t even know she existed in the industry, so she could be trained as a newcomer.

Zhou Huanyin was confident that with proper training, Lu Zhao would hardly fail to shine.

Zhou Huanyin calculated eagerly, but Shen Yuanqing beside her protested: “Sister Yin, that’s not fair!”

He also took a liking to Lu Zhao’s voice and couldn’t help but compete with his senior: “How can you snatch people like that!”

Zhou Huanyin, though in the wrong, stood her ground: “What, is that not allowed?”

Shen Yuanqing was momentarily stumped by Zhou Huanyin but quickly retorted, not backing down, and threw an offer to Lu Zhao: “Lu Zhao, come to my side. I’m preparing a new album, and we can collaborate.”

Shen Yuanqing said this with a smile at Lu Zhao.

Though his music held a place in today’s music scene, he was most famous for his looks that appealed to both Alphas and Omegas, and with a harmless smile to the camera, the audience erupted in waves of cheers.

Seeing this, Zhou Huanyin immediately protested: “I say, Yuanqing, and you call that fair?”

Shen Yuanqing, confidently using his charm, said to Zhou Huanyin, who had just promised a chance to meet Jing Yuan: “Sister Yin, you have your Teacher Jing Yuan, and I have my album. Let’s each rely on our own skills.”

The two went back and forth, sparking tension, though neither was truly angry, creating an immediate effect for the show.

Most importantly, they both tacitly knew Lu Zhao had great potential and was worth raising her value for.

At this moment, Lin Yueling, who had been quietly watching the two bicker from the far left, raised her microphone.

She also liked Lu Zhao, though she knew her status in the entertainment industry and music scene wasn’t as high as Zhou Huanyin or Shen Yuanqing, but she still added fuel for Lu Zhao: “How about I join in? Though these two teachers are better than me, I can take you to my concert next month.”

“Wow!!”

All three mentors made promises to a contestant, an unprecedented event since the recording began.

The audience, knowing Zhou Huanyin and Shen Yuanqing’s high standards after rejecting dozens of contestants, waved their light sticks and cheered.

Seeing this, the host timely stepped onto the stage with a microphone and said to Lu Zhao, the center of this talent grab: “It looks like all three teachers really like you, Lu Zhao.”

Lu Zhao felt flattered, responding politely and somewhat cautiously: “The three seniors’ favor is my honor.”

She never imagined she’d be fought over like this one day.

After all, in the past, she was the extra vegetable thrown in at the market, the cheap drink added to an order, always the one reluctantly taken after being deemed unworthy.

At this moment, Zhou Huanyin waved both hands at Lu Zhao: “Lu Zhao, come on, which teacher do you want to choose? Jing Yuan is waving to you!”

Shen Yuanqing didn’t back down: “Choose me, and you can have a duet in my album!”

Lin Yueling also offered her promise: “My concert is waving to you.”

The three mentors competed for her, and the audience’s cheers rose and fell.

The host, seeing this, quickly took control and said to Lu Zhao beside her: “Do you need some time to think it over?”

But Lu Zhao was unprecedentedly calm and shook her head: “No need.”

The host was surprised: “It looks like our Lu Zhao already has a mentor in mind?”

Lu Zhao nodded.

The host then asked the question everyone awaited: “So, who’s your choice?”

Lu Zhao’s gaze was firm as she brought the microphone to her lips and softly said: “I choose Teacher Zhou Huanyin.”

The host raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise, and half-jokingly asked: “Why? Is it really because you can meet Teacher Jing Yuan?”

Perhaps feeling her reason was a bit childish, Lu Zhao couldn’t help but smile: “Yes, it’s really because of that.”

The audience laughed at her answer, and no one noticed Lu Zhao’s hand briefly tighten around the microphone.

Today’s events felt like a dream, so she let herself express her years of admiration and longing for Jing Yuan in this dream.

The camera’s flashing lights fell into Lu Zhao’s eyes, and she softened the smile on her face, her voice very earnest: “I really, really want to meet Teacher Jing Yuan.”

The audience fell silent, and Sheng Jingyu looked up to see Lu Zhao’s eyes on the big screen.

Their amber color reflected the artificial lights around, a natural, uncarved gem sparkling brightly.

It was the sincerity shown only when someone truly loved something.

Like a confession to the void, knowing there’d be no result, yet still spoken.

Sheng Jingyu’s pupils flickered slightly, her heartbeat pounding heavily.

She recalled the first time she met Lu Zhao, with that fleeting, fragile sea breeze.

Why did she want to meet her so badly?

Was she that important to her?

It wasn’t just Sheng Jingyu who reacted strongly to Lu Zhao’s words; Shen Yuanqing, sitting beside Zhou Huanyin, did too.

Feeling reluctant and wronged, he pitifully said to Lu Zhao: “Lu Zhao, actually, if I try hard, I can contact Teacher Jing Yuan too.”

Zhou Huanyin wagged her finger, cutting off Shen Yuanqing’s fantasy: “No, you can’t~ Our Jing Yuan is only besties with me~”

Eager and worried Lu Zhao might be snatched away, she smiled at Lu Zhao on stage and said: “Got your phone? Let’s exchange contact info now.”

Lu Zhao hesitated, glancing at the backstage.

But she saw the backstage director, who had been dismissive and tired toward them earlier, quickly bring her phone up.

Lu Zhao wasn’t used to such speed.

When Lu Zhao took her phone, Zhou Huanyin also grabbed the phone handed by her assistant.

She skillfully avoided the camera and audience, showing Lu Zhao her friend code: “This is my WeChat. Rest well when you get back, and I’ll definitely let you meet Jing Yuan.”

After scanning it, Lu Zhao gave Zhou Huanyin a respectful bow: “Thank you, tea…”

But the title caught in her throat, and she paused.

Then, subtly, she added a word before “teacher”: “Teacher Zhou.”

She had a teacher.

Her teacher was Sheng Jingyu.

The corridor’s lights passed one by one, leaving bright afterimages in Lu Zhao’s vision.

She looked at the message popping up on her phone and ran back to the backstage.

—It wasn’t just Jing Yuan she couldn’t wait to see.

—There was also Sheng Jingyu.

By chance, as Lu Zhao turned a corner, she spotted Sheng Jingyu and the others leaving the audience area from afar.

“Teacher!”

That excited voice suddenly hit Sheng Jingyu’s ears, full of an Alpha’s vibrant energy.

She looked up blankly and saw a figure running toward her under the corridor’s continuous lights.

Without holding back or slowing down.

Sheng Jingyu only felt herself pulled into someone’s embrace with a surge of strength, the scent of sea and lychee rolling together, leaving that sweet, invasive fragrance at her nose.

Lu Zhao ran toward Sheng Jingyu and lifted her in a hug.

Whale blushed.

Chenchen felt sad: I’m that “others”…