On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month—such an auspicious day…

Xia Xiyao’s singing slowly came to an end. The blaring suona faded, and the once-festive music seemed to drift down from the heavens. Yet the audience knew—this wasn’t a joyous occasion.

They fell into silence, a subtle sorrow welling up from deep within their hearts.

If the suona’s sudden blast earlier had stirred fear, then the final suona, accompanied by joyful melodies, now only brought a tragic melancholy.

It was the sorrow born of ancient ignorance—of a living girl married to the dead, and at such a tender, blooming age.

Especially on Xia Xiyao’s face—the faint expressions, her slightly furrowed brows, and the helpless aura lingering around her. And her eyes… not once had she blinked.

All these sensory details made the audience feel as though they were inside that ceremonial hall themselves, witnessing this chilling tragedy firsthand.

Even the bullet comments in the livestream started to dwindle with the music, leaving only a few viewers quietly sharing the emotions in their hearts.

    “There could be no ghost bride more beautiful than this~”
    “Every frown and smile carries sorrow, every sigh and lament echoes through reincarnation. This is the right way to perform a good song—immersive and unforgettable.”
    “The moment the suona came in, I knew… this song was no ordinary thing!”
    “Xia Xiyao is incredible! She brought this piece to life flawlessly!”
    “Cover your ears—it’s a soul-calling chant from the underworld!”
    “Eighteenth day of the first month, a bride gets wed, friends and family weep until their guts wrench. A paper wedding gown she wears—never again to see her beloved.”
    “The auspicious hour has come. Escort the bride from the hall~”
    “…You’re all demons, aren’t you? It’s the middle of the night and I’m home alone!”

The ethereal music finally faded completely, and the lights dimmed with it. Dressed in red, Xia Xiyao melted into the darkness and slowly exited the stage.

This grand performance had utterly mesmerized everyone.

Director Ren Chao let out a sigh and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. This old Hua culture—only their generation could truly understand it. It was a helpless, aching kind of sorrow.

Backstage, Miao Anyun stood in a daze, staring blankly as Xia Xiyao, clad in red, walked toward her with measured steps.

Right now, Xia Xiyao still seemed to be under the song’s spell. That sorrowful aura around her made Miao Anyun shiver involuntarily.

She had always been confident in her own beauty, but at this moment, Xia Xiyao’s presence surpassed her by a thousandfold. This was the kind of soul a good song could breathe into a singer.

For a pure vocalist, this was the highest honor.

Miao Anyun gave a bitter smile. She had lost this round—not just in terms of the song, but in the emotional investment she brought to it.

Still, she quickly reset her mindset. Clenching her fists, she thought—a Xia Xiyao like this is all the more worth giving my all for!

She believed in her own talent. She believed she could sing even better!

By then, Xia Xiyao had already walked up beside Miao Anyun. The two women exchanged a glance, and Miao Anyun gave her a big thumbs-up.

“Amazing!”

Xia Xiyao blinked as if waking from a dream, finally stepping out from the song’s shadow. She rapidly fluttered her eyes a few times.

Mm… her eyes were a little dry!

Then she returned a gentle smile to Miao Anyun.

“You were amazing too!”

Miao Anyun was briefly stunned, then smiled back. This Xia Xiyao… had an even better personality than she’d imagined!

Gu Xingyi really was a lucky guy!

Compared to the harmonious exchange between the two singers backstage, Wu Fan sat collapsed in his chair like a deflated balloon.

He had lost… Even though the voting segment hadn’t started yet, he already knew.

As a well-established songwriter and composer, he could tell just by looking at the mentors and the crowd’s reactions.

The atmosphere his song had built was completely shattered by the emotional weight of "Double Happiness". At this point, who even remembered his song?

Even Wu Fan himself couldn’t get the sound of that suona and the so-called festive music out of his head.

Among all instruments, the suona reigns supreme—its sound is either for ascending to heaven or for wedding rites. A pipa plays for a hundred years, a zither for a thousand, and a single erhu can pull along an entire life.

This damn song had them all!

How the hell was he supposed to compete with that?

Wu Fan sank deeper into his chair. To be defeated in the field he was best at—he felt both depressed and bitter.

Depressed, because he really wasn’t as good as Gu Xingyi. Bitter, because he felt like Gu Xingyi had cheated! Using the suona was cheating!

At that moment, the stage lights turned on, the brightness dragging everyone back to reality from that dreamlike wedding scene.

The host, Chen Xue’er, stepped onto the stage in a flowing white gown.

Holding the microphone and looking out at the still-dazed audience, she paused for a moment before speaking loudly.

“I never imagined I’d hear two such unique performances on this stage today. The clash between Western and traditional Chinese music created such dazzling sparks. Though different in style, both songs carried a similar soul. Let’s give a big round of applause as we welcome our two contestants to the stage, shall we?”

Only then did the audience snap out of their trance. As they came to their senses, they broke into thunderous applause.

It was amazing! Truly stunning!

They had expected the finals to be exciting, but not this exciting. At that moment, everyone felt their ticket was worth every penny.

From the back of the stage, Xia Xiyao and Miao Anyun stepped forward in response to the host’s words, making their way slowly onto the stage to the sound of applause.

Just the two of them standing side-by-side on the stage was enough to dazzle the audience. In their hearts, many silently exclaimed—What a pair of heavenly beauties!

Even Chen Xue’er, standing beside them, felt a bit of pressure from their presence.

“Now it’s time for the mentors to cast their votes. Let’s invite our mentors to give their feedback and make their decisions.”

Chen Xue’er spoke quickly, drawing the audience’s attention to the mentors. The camera also reluctantly shifted its focus to them.

The finals of StarSong Gathering were far more formal than previous rounds, and a mentor evaluation segment had been added. Each mentor had to provide feedback before casting their vote.

The camera landed on Gao Yu. He looked at Xia Xiyao and Miao Anyun on stage, a conflicted expression on his face.

“To be honest, it’s incredibly difficult to vote in the finals. In my eyes, both of you sang wonderfully. If this weren’t a competition, I would vote for both of you without hesitation.”

“Let me share my personal impressions. First, Miao Anyun—you sang beautifully. Whether it was vocal technique or stage presence, everything was top-notch. As for your song, some people may not fully understand the latter part of it, but from a professional standpoint, that’s exactly where the song elevated itself. It perfectly conveyed the internal pain of someone tormented by illness.”

“Now, as for Xia Xiyao—there’s only one word I can use to describe her performance: flawless. Flawless vocals, flawless stage presence. She completely pulled us into the world of the song, making it impossible to look away. Especially the moment the suona came in alongside her voice—it gave me goosebumps! I’m seriously wondering now—just what kind of monster is Gu Xingyi to be able to write a song like this?!”

“So, my vote goes to Xia Xiyao. As for Miao Anyun, it’s not your fault. The difference lies in the songs themselves. One is a song the general public can immediately fall in love with, and the other is one that only professionals can appreciate toward the end. There’s a gap in impact.”

Gao Yu gave a very professional critique of both singers, then cast his vote for Xia Xiyao.

A wave of applause erupted from the audience, clearly agreeing with Gao Yu’s remarks. Both Xia Xiyao and Miao Anyun maintained calm expressions and bowed together in thanks.

Down below, Wu Fan’s face was ashen. As a professional songwriter, he understood all too well—

This round, he had lost.