Chapter 142: "Sensing the Atmosphere of Love"-Entertainment: Starting with the Song "Sunny Day"(Xiaomu does not eat cilantro.)

"Oh, what am I doing!"

As Zhang Yuan locked eyes with Zhou Ran, a deep blush crept across her face. In that moment, she felt her heart skip a beat. She nearly lost her focus mid-dance, but fortunately, she regained her composure just in time, narrowly avoiding a mishap at the very start of her performance.

After Zhou Ran finished his rap, he stepped back into the dance troupe to provide backup for Zhang Yuan, gracefully yielding the stage to her. Once the transition was complete, Zhang Yuan quickly collected herself, settled into the zone, and began the song with her signature sweet, melodic voice.

"If you suddenly sneeze, it must be me thinking of you. If you're woken by your phone in the dead of night, ah, that’s because I care. I often wonder if your words have an ulterior motive; though I want so much to believe, I can't help but doubt. In your heart, am I the only one? Love is having me constantly bothering you."

As Zhang Yuan began to sing, a wave of sweetness washed over the audience. Carrying the unique, youthful charm of a young girl, the song made the guests in the auditorium feel the tender atmosphere of a sweet romance, as if they had been transported back to their youth, with visions of first love blossoming in their minds.

Zhang Yuan’s versatile, one-of-a-kind voice paired perfectly with this track—it was a match made in heaven. Just as a fine horse needs a good saddle, a great voice requires the perfect song to achieve its full potential. Her sweet vocals, combined with the upbeat, lighthearted rhythm, touched the depths of the audience’s hearts.

Who could resist such sweet, romantic charm? Coupled with the choreography, she captured the hearts of the male audience members, who felt as though they were inhaling the very scent of love. This song, which had once captivated countless young men in a past life, held the same magical power on this stage. Even Zhou Ran, while watching her perform, couldn't help but be drawn in—purely out of artistic appreciation, of course. He was, after all, a man of integrity, the upright and honorable Zhou Ran!

"Ho Baby, say a little more sweet talk, look at me a little more if you miss me. Show me a little more so I can truly see. Oh Baby, say a little less, I want to be with you for more than just a day. Give me a little more, and I’ll willingly love you."

When Zhang Yuan sang the words "love you," she blew a big kiss to the audience. That single gesture shattered the final line of defense in the spectators' hearts. They were utterly captivated by her sweet voice. If anyone ever dared to claim that Zhang Yuan could only sing melancholic songs, she could simply throw this track in their face; if this wasn't the definition of sweet, what was?

Some of the male audience members were so thoroughly smitten that they instantly became her die-hard fans—the kind who would jump to her defense at the slightest hint of criticism. They had no resistance to such a "sweet girl" archetype. Even if the sweetness were enough to induce diabetes, they would gladly take the insulin; it was a small price to pay for such a feeling.

In the backstage lounge, the other singers felt a mix of love and hate. They loved the song because it filled them with the same romantic joy, but they hated it because it significantly raised the bar. With Zhang Yuan’s performance setting such a high standard, the pressure on those yet to perform became immense.

They knew their upcoming acts would be compared to hers, and none of them felt confident they could match the quality of her performance. After all, the audience had been completely swept away. Even the competing singers had found themselves lost in the beauty of her performance, let alone the guests in the seats.

Xu Yan, watching from the wings, felt a sense of despair. It was highly likely that Zhang Yuan would take first place again. Xu Yan had meticulously prepared her own song, and since she also leaned toward the youthful, sweet style, this romantic theme was supposed to be her chance for redemption. However, after witnessing Zhang Yuan’s performance, her heart sank. Zhang Yuan had turned the stage into her own personal concert, feeding off the energy of Zhou Ran’s contribution. Xu Yan felt her courage wane, left only to lament, "Why must the heavens create a Zhou Yu if they were also going to create a Zhuge Liang?"

As Zhang Yuan finished the final move with a sweet, radiant smile, the audience felt as if they had just experienced a brief, beautiful romance.

"Zhang Yuan!"
"Zhang Yuan!"
"You are my goddess!"

The audience went wild, chanting her name. They had felt the deep, saccharine sweetness of her performance, which had perfectly aligned with the night’s theme. The singers in the lounge heard the deafening cheers and knew their fates were sealed; the audience’s reaction was a clear message that they were thoroughly satisfied, leaving the remaining performers to face what felt like a hellish difficulty level.

"Thank you all, I love you!"

Zhang Yuan formed a heart with her hands over her chest to express her gratitude. The gesture sent the audience into a frenzy, with many of the male fans looking absolutely starstruck.

"Oh!"
"Zhang Yuan, my goddess!"