After taking advice, I became a top male idol.

Chapter 47: The Prelude to the Decisive Strike!

The stage lights suddenly dimmed.

A spotlight shone vertically onto the lone high stool in the center of the stage.

Footsteps sounded, and Lin Zhixing emerged from the darkness.

Today, he changed out of his usual casual wear and put on a simple white shirt, light blue jeans, and clean white sneakers.

The cuffs were rolled up slightly, revealing the smooth lines of the forearms.

There were no fancy accessories, no exaggerated styling, and even his hair was simply styled, exuding a refreshing and clean-cut youthful vibe.

But it is precisely this simplicity that makes him stand out on this stage.

"Huh? Lin Zhixing's outfit today..."

"It feels like I've gone back to my student days."

In the audience, some people were whispering among themselves.

But what he was holding in his hand surprised the entire audience.

That was a guitar.

"Guitar?"

"Is he going to sing and play the guitar himself?"

"If I remember correctly, this is the first time he's ever played an instrument on stage, right?"

"It's not surprising that he can play guitar, considering he came from a talent show. But choosing to sing and play guitar at this time seems a bit presumptuous, doesn't it?"

You know, in the previous competitions, which contestant didn't put their all into the arrangement? Folk music orchestra, orchestral music, electronic dance music... the more luxurious the better.

After all, this is the semi-final, a do-or-die battle!

A guitar?

Isn't that too flimsy? Can it hold its own?

Brother Li raised an eyebrow. "Guitar? This kid's got that talent? I thought he could only sing."

Han Xuening leaned over curiously, "Judging from the way he holds the zither, he looks quite professional, not just a show-off."

Ye Lan didn't speak, but just quietly watched Lin Zhixing on the stage, a faint smile on her lips.

Backstage.

Jiang Mubai looked at the screen, his brows slightly furrowed.

Although his song "The Rain Keeps Falling" was relatively quiet, the arrangement used a full string orchestra as a base, which created that sophisticated sense of melancholy.

Jiang Mubai said calmly, "Guitar demands even higher accuracy and rhythm; the slightest flaw will be magnified infinitely. He's just making things harder for himself."

Zhang Xianyu couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Singing and playing the guitar himself? Who does he think he is? This kind of semi-final stage is all about resources and teamwork! What can one person pull off? How could he possibly get a high score?"

"Just wait and see him crash and burn," he said gloatingly.

Gu Qingzhou did not participate in their discussion, but simply stared at the screen quietly.

As a competitor in the same group, he knew Lin Zhixing's strength better than anyone else.

This person never makes meaningless choices.

on the stage.

Lin Zhi walked to the high stool and sat down.

He adjusted the microphone height and then gently hugged the guitar in his arms.

Han Xuening couldn't help but say to Shen Ming beside her, "Brother Shen, don't you think... Lin Zhixing is a little different today?"

"What's different?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but... I seem to have become more charming? That aura of mine is more stable and more attractive than before." Han Xuening's eyes were a little unfocused. "It's just a simple white shirt and jeans, but it looks so good on me."

Shen Ming nodded, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Indeed, this kid... is truly a mystery."

This is the effect of the [Charming Band-Aid]!

Stick it on your collar!

Although it was a one-time use prop, at this moment, it brought out Lin Zhixing's stage presence to its fullest, making him the focus of the entire audience even if he was just sitting there quietly.

In that instant, the previously noisy scene inexplicably fell silent.

Lin Zhixing raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the entire room before finally landing on Ye Lan in the mentor's seat, a smile appearing on his lips.

This song was carefully selected by him.

It's not because it's difficult; on the contrary, its difficulty isn't high on a technical level.

But it has a kind of magic.

It has a magic that can instantly transport you back to your student days, back to that sunny afternoon, back to that innocent and beautiful time.

That's the scariest part of this song.

It doesn't rely on technique, high notes, or showing off.

It sings of—resonance.

It's that youthful memory that everyone has deep in their heart.

Fingers gently brushed across the strings.

A clear, crisp string note resounded throughout the venue via the sound system.

"Clang—clang—clang—clang—"

A few simple notes leaped out.

It's not a complicated fingering technique, nor is it a fancy strumming technique.

It's just simple chord progressions, even with a touch of a beginner's awkwardness.

But these few notes seem to possess a certain magic.

It's very simple, but for some reason it's very catchy.

in the audience.

"It sounds nice."

"Yeah, it sounds so nice."

Zhou Xuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

interesting.

Chen Xi watched Lin Zhixing on stage from the dressing room, her heart inexplicably racing.

Under the lamplight, he held his guitar, head down, strumming the strings...

So handsome.

The guitar sound was crisp and bright, like a cool breeze suddenly blowing in the sweltering summer.

It was like that afternoon when cicadas were chirping, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

......

Backstage lounge.

"This tune is so simple, but it sounds so good."

The prelude sounds incredibly simple, with very few variations.

But why...?

Why does it sound so good?

What's even stranger is that Lin Zhixing kept repeating these chords. Even though it was the same melody, the audience's attention didn't wander with each repetition; instead, it became more and more focused.

"This is so strange," Jiang Mubai muttered to himself.

Gu Qingzhou also noticed something was wrong.

As a rising star heavily promoted by Huayin Entertainment, he has received systematic music training and has seen many big events.

But at this moment, he heard an indescribable magic in the simple guitar sound.

The singers in the dressing room didn't quite understand why such a simple intro, repeated several times, could produce such an effect.

The mentor's seat.

"what?"

Among the mentors, Shen Ming, as a composer, has the highest sensitivity to melody.

"This chord progression...is quite unique."

Shen Ming said in a low voice, "It's very simple, but why does it sound so comfortable? There's a kind of... a kind of..."

He couldn't find a suitable adjective for the time being.

"I have a feeling of wanting to be in love."

Han Xuening, who was standing next to him, spoke for him.

She rested her chin on her hand and said, "This guitar music reminds me of the boy I had a crush on in high school. He also sat on the lawn and played the guitar like this."

Li Ge also sat up straight, no longer the lazy rock veteran he used to be.

"That's interesting."

He stroked his beard. "This kid's hands are really steady. It looks like he's just playing casually, but every note has a very clear articulation. It takes years of practice to get to that level."

Of course, he didn't know that Lin Zhixing was a man with the skill of "Guitar Proficiency," a level that would be more than enough for him to be a guitar teacher.

Just then, the large screen at the back of the stage lit up.

An image appeared on the screen:

Blue sky, white clouds, green grass, school playground, and a row of sunflowers swaying in the wind.

Simple, fresh, and beautiful.

Two large characters slowly emerged—

"sunny"

Lyrics/Composition/Singing: Lin Zhixing