The next day, the much-anticipated second round of the StarSong Gathering arrived right on schedule.

The previous round had already soared in popularity thanks to Xia Xiyao’s performance of The Wind Rises. And now, due to the recent drama surrounding Gu Xingyi, several streaming platforms joined in to broadcast the competition live.

As expected, from early morning, countless netizens crowded into the livestream rooms, eagerly waiting for the event to begin. Outside the Modu Sports Arena, crowds had already gathered—mostly gossip-hungry onlookers, but many were members of the Xia Xiyao support group.

There were also mainstream entertainment media outlets staking out the scene early, hoping to grab the first scoop.

All of this spectacle, stirred up by just one person.

At 8 PM sharp, the official livestream room went live. Broadcasts on every major platform followed instantly, and bullet comments flooded the screens in all directions.

Director Ren Chao of StarSong Gathering couldn’t stop grinning as he watched the surging comments. Regardless of whether Gu Xingyi was loved or hated, the buzz he generated was real—and that was all that mattered to Ren Chao.

Still, he truly hoped nothing went wrong between Gu Xingyi and Xia Xiyao. Wouldn’t it be best if they stayed happy and harmonious? As long as the two were stable, that meant Xia Xiyao would stay in the show. And if she was there, so was Gu Xingyi. And if Gu Xingyi was there—traffic was guaranteed.

After all, one good meal is great, but constant meals are better. Ren Chao understood that perfectly, so he was genuinely rooting for them.

Inside the Modu Sports Arena, the setup was more grand than before. The production team had made bank, and now they weren’t shy about splurging on the set.

Gu Xingyi wore a mask and snuck into the venue quietly with little Nainai in tow.

Overhead, the ceiling of the arena shimmered like a starry sky. A glowing river of stars flowed from above, cascading straight onto the stage, like a summer night’s galaxy hanging overhead—mysterious and breathtaking.

Tonight’s host had been swapped out for the renowned Chen Xue’er. Dressed in elegant formalwear, she walked slowly onto the stage along the galaxy path.

“Welcome, everyone, to StarSong Gathering! I’m your host, Chen Xue’er! I’m thrilled to meet you all here tonight for this grand event. We’ve now reached the second round of the competition. From the original sixteen contestants, only eight remain on stage.

And tonight, four more will be leaving us. This is the cruelty—but also the charm—of competition. I believe every single one of you watching here and online is nervously hoping your favorite contestant will advance!”

“So let’s not waste time—let’s take a look at the big screen and review our eight contestants!”

With that, Chen Xue’er turned gracefully toward the massive screen, which began displaying the contestant profiles one by one.

Once the final profile appeared, she turned back and continued:

“Alright! Now that we’ve reviewed our eight contestants, let’s welcome our four mentors to the stage!”

Suddenly, the galaxy onstage split into four beams of light. The four mentors stepped into the glow one after another, each singing a hit song of their own. When the final mentor finished, all four waved together toward the audience.

A thunderous round of applause erupted. Cheers and whistles filled the air.

With the crowd roaring, the mentors took their seats at the judging panel one by one.

Chen Xue’er smiled and lifted her mic again...

...

Backstage, Xia Xiyao was already in position. She had quietly slipped in through the staff passage wearing a mask. There were too many people in the front, many of them waving her name cards. She was a little nervous.

Especially when she saw people holding anti–Gu Xingyi signs—accusing him of abuse. Her heart ached. She didn’t know if Gu Xingyi would see them, but if he did, she feared it would hurt him too.

And of course, Gu Xingyi saw them. He wasn’t blind—those signs were huge and eye-catching.

But strangely enough, he didn’t feel much. It didn’t matter. As long as it wasn’t Xia Xiyao or Nainai, no one could get to him.

And besides, that was the old Gu Xingyi. What did that have to do with him?

After “evening things out” with Xia Xiyao, he had already let it go.

Gu Xingyi shifted his gaze to the stage, where the matchups were now set—randomly assigned by the audience. Xia Xiyao was slated for the second performance of the night. Her opponent: Shao Feibai from Shengshi Entertainment, another top contender.

It was as if fate had decided that Xia Xiyao had to pass through fire and blade to win this thing—back-to-back opponents of the highest caliber.

Last time, Liu Qian would have been tough—if not for her inner breakdown, which left her at 40% of her true ability. Otherwise, the outcome might have been very different.

Meanwhile, backstage, Shao Feibai had also received the news. His face turned ashen. Among all the contestants, the one he least wanted to face was Xia Xiyao.

That woman had a bug behind her—a man who could turn anything into a trending topic!

Luckily, that man’s image had recently collapsed. No one really knew where things stood between Xia Xiyao and Gu Xingyi now. Maybe the song tonight wouldn’t even be one he wrote.

That comforted Shao Feibai a little.

He respected Xia Xiyao’s vocal skills, but he wasn’t afraid of her. Unless Gu Xingyi pulled another miracle song out of nowhere, Shao Feibai believed he still had a shot!

The first round began. Cheng Di stepped onto the stage to face the last remaining singer from Tianmei Entertainment.

Cheng Di’s voice was very different from Xia Xiyao’s. Her tone was sweet by nature, and with her petite frame and adorable baby face, her performance of a sugary pop song made the audience’s hearts melt.

It was Gu Xingyi’s first time hearing her sing. Last time, Xia Xiyao had performed first, and he had left right after.

But this time, he stayed and listened. He nodded—this song fit Cheng Di perfectly. She really was talented. Not bad, little fan!

Her opponent, though, was weaker than Liu Qian, and naturally lost to Cheng Di in this round.

Then came the second round—Xia Xiyao took the stage first once again.

Tonight, she wore a simple white blouse paired with a floral skirt. Her hair was styled in a cute bun. Compared to her last performance, tonight she looked even more youthful and radiant.

As she stood gracefully onstage, she looked like a lively, vibrant girl full of energy.

The first thing she did was scan the crowd for Gu Xingyi and little Nainai. When she saw them waving, her lips curved into a smile.

The spotlight lit up her face—smiling and stunning, so beautiful it left Gu Xingyi momentarily dazed.

Before the song could begin, voices suddenly rang out from the audience.

“Xia Xiyao! Was that Weibo post really from you?!”

“Xia Xiyao! Do you really like Gu Xingyi?! Or is he forcing you?!”

The crowd buzzed with noise.

Xia Xiyao tightened her grip on the mic and looked down at Gu Xingyi.

She suddenly remembered the first time she had truly “seen” him—that pure look in his eyes, that clarity, and that gentleness.

Thinking of that, her almond-shaped eyes brightened even more.

Then, with a smile in her eyes, she lifted the mic.

Loud and clear, she declared to the audience—and to everyone watching the livestream:

“I like him!”

“I like Gu Xingyi! He’s a good man!”

“Some people—some kinds of love—are destined!”