The singers performed.
Su Yu merely watched them with a smile.
The cameras, however, kept focusing on him.
Many viewers were flooding the live chat with comments.
"I've got goosebumps!"
"I always thought of the singers as entertainment industry professionals, but I forgot they are also students in college."
"Ahhh! This chorus is so inspiring!"
"When you learn about their experiences, it becomes even more inspiring!"
"Damn, this song makes me feel all fired up!"
"This song isn't as explosive as 'Resilience,' but it interprets the unwavering belief on the path to pursuing dreams in a different style!"
"Persistence in dreams, I'm so tired of persisting!!"
"Keep pushing no matter how tired you are, everyone, keep it up!!"
"Keep it up!"
"Everyone, you better keep it up!"
Amidst the screen full of "Keep it up."
The song entered the second verse.
"If pride hadn't been coldly struck down by the vast sea of reality.
How would we know how much effort it takes to reach far away..."
As the performance order had been rehearsed,
the singers coordinated exceptionally well.
The second rendition was even more heartfelt than the first.
Each singer's performance drew rounds of cheers from the audience.
Qing University's President, Zhao Jianguo, sat in his exclusive front-row seat, his face creased with smiles.
The university leaders beside him also watched the performance with delight.
"What's the current viewership of our live stream?" he asked, turning to his assistant president.
The latter took out his phone and opened Qing University's live stream.
Upon seeing the viewership, he gasped.
"Hiss... President Zhao, our live stream's viewership has reached eighty million!!"
Eighty million, what a concept.
As China's number one art school, producing countless stars, their freshman orientation parties always invited some big names back to participate. Even so, their current viewership was only a little over thirty million!
Qing University had more than doubled that.
"Haha, this is great!"
"We actually surpassed Qin University!"
"That's an understatement, it's not just surpassing, it's crushing them!"
"I never imagined that one day a freshman orientation party could dominate Qin University."
"I'm going to take a screenshot and post it on my Moments!"
"Haha, send me the screenshot, I want to show off in the class group chat!"
The university leaders were all beaming.
President Zhao Jianguo's face was flushed with excitement.
What a boost to their reputation!
He remembered that just a year ago, Qing University was a school that lacked the confidence to even organize a freshman orientation dance.
Although ranked in the top ten nationally, in terms of student prospects, they were nowhere near the top-ranked institutions.
Now, everything had changed!
Zhao Jianguo didn't need to check the university president's group chat; he could already imagine how lively it would be.
Qing University's viewership at the freshman orientation party had surpassed all other universities.
Even Qin University, consistently hailed as a powerhouse of top-tier talent, was being crushed in terms of viewership.
Although it was all thanks to Su Yu,
this was ultimately a competition for popularity among students, and this was what the major art universities competed on.
...
"...
Cutting through the wind, then rounding a bend.
Our hearts remain connected, as always..."
As they reached the last part of the verse,
the background music abruptly stopped.
*Snap!*
A spotlight shone down.
Golden radiance enveloped Su Yu.
The light reflected, creating an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere.
The entire venue seemed to freeze at that moment.
All the audience members held their breath, their gazes fixed on Su Yu on stage.
The singers slowly lowered their microphones and turned to look at Su Yu.
For a moment, the entire stadium fell silent.
Just then,
Su Yu's lips curved slightly.
He raised his right hand to his mouth with the microphone, opening his left hand, his deep eyes, like stars, held a faint smile.
"The initial dream, held tightly in my hands.
The place I most want to go, how can I turn back halfway..."
This acapella section, coupled with his appearance bathed in the radiant light,
was like a warm sun, warming everyone's hearts.
There was a touch of gentleness within the fervor, and a sense of determination within the gentleness.
It was so healing!
The moment his voice rang out,
it seemed to carry a magical power, capable of influencing the audience's emotions.
Especially after the accompaniment suddenly stopped, his acapella voice seemed to resonate within everyone's hearts.
That sense of determination, defiance, and the drive to move forward surged like a tide.
Some people's noses inexplicably stung, and tears flowed unconsciously!
Some people's softest emotions were touched, and they broke down in tears on the spot!
As he sang the last word,
dense drumbeats suddenly erupted!
Then, various instruments joined in.
The emotions that had settled now found complete release!
All the singers raised their microphones again and began to sing.
A chorus!!
"The initial dream, will absolutely be reached.
Once the true desire is fulfilled,
only then can it be considered reaching paradise..."
At this moment,
the entire venue erupted!!
Everyone stood up from their seats, moved by the chorus, wildly waving their hands, releasing the excitement within them.
Their hearts were filled with immense excitement.
Not for anything else.
But for the dreams stirred up by this song!
All the students present
waved their flashing lights, creating a sea of lights that surged with the rhythm of the music!
The cameras switched frantically!
They captured youthful faces, filled with longing for the future and the persistence in their dreams.
Applause!
Cheers!
Converged together, lingering for a long time!
Finally,
as the song ended,
and the accompaniment concluded.
Su Yu and the singers bowed deeply to the audience,
and then retreated from the stage.
At this time,
the live chat audience's comments completely filled the screen!
"I'm fired up now!"
"When everyone on stage was singing in chorus, a surge of courage rushed to my head, and I felt like nothing could stop my progress!"
"Ting Yu is too powerful! He's top-tier in inspirational music!"
"What isn't Ting Yu top-tier in?"
"Haha, the regional qualifiers showed us that Ting Yu is indeed versatile."
"Versatile? Ting Yu knows a little bit about everything!"
"I wasn't planning to go for it anymore, but today I was inspired, pick me up, I can still do ten more rounds!"
"After listening to this song, I suddenly remembered that I still have dreams. A cigarette for those lost dreams!"
"Heh, exactly, for lost dreams, I'll join you for one!"
"I'll join too!"
"..."
Perhaps, some pursued dreams and failed.
Some chose to live life on the path of pursuing dreams.
But everyone once had dreams.
Dreams, regardless of size.
Fulfilling dreams is fortunate; not fulfilling them is also okay, because that's not important. What's important are the experiences during the struggle and effort for those dreams.
When one looks back in old age, with a cigarette or a glass of wine,
it is also a form of happiness.
...
ps: The outline is almost complete. I'm currently working on the later parts of the outline, so the updates are fewer. Please bear with me. I'm soliciting names for the King and Queen of Singers, and songs for the Masked Singer competition. If suitable, I will use them. Please help me think of some, my head is about to explode!