The entire audience was stunned.
Lin Xia, who was about to return backstage to remove his cumbersome costume, froze in place. He hadn't expected that after delivering an exceptional performance with 725 votes, the surprise guest would still dare to challenge him.
"Chu Zhi challenged everyone, and now this new guest is challenging me? Are all challengers this bold? Who is it?"
"Brother Lin, who is it?" his music partner asked beside him.
"To my knowledge, I know nothing about this," Lin Xia replied, his expression still filled with bewilderment.
The challenger causing this upheaval was Li Xingwei, who was waiting in a separate room with his music partner.
Among the six members of "Wu Tou Chu Wei, Yi Xing Yun Fei," if Chu Zhi was the best-looking, then Li Xingwei was undoubtedly the most skilled. A graduate of Waseda University's Sports Medicine program, he was scouted in Japan for his striking looks and underwent rigorous training under Johnny & Associates. With three years of experience performing on countless stages in Japan, Li Xingwei was the main vocalist and secondary dancer—his skills were undeniable.
Li Xingwei had been sent by Da Hua Entertainment to target Chu Zhi. The original plan was to challenge Chu under the guise of "former label mates," setting up a narrative for trending hot searches like eliminating a public menace. But Li Xingwei had other plans.
Even though Da Hua Entertainment was an industry giant, Li Xingwei, as one of their top moneymakers, had his own agency. If he refused to come, they couldn't force him. The reason he agreed to be a surprise guest? Lin Xia.
Both were singer-dancers in the same niche. Li Xingwei's real target was Lin Xia. Watching from the green room as Lin Xia delivered a flawless performance, he immediately hit the challenge button without hesitation.
As for Chu Zhi?
"A talentless hack. Unworthy of my challenge."
Even back when they were grouped together, Li Xingwei had looked down on him, considering Chu Zhi a drag on his own reputation. Now that Chu Zhi was washed up? Even less reason to acknowledge him.
"Welcome back to I Am a Singer, sponsored by Chunsheng Organic Milk! The information I just received about our surprise guest—wow, when gods fight, mere mortals suffer!" Gu Nanxi announced. "He is the first post-90s male Mandarin singer to hold a solo concert at Hong Kong's Red Star Arena, a two-time winner of Mnet Asian Music Award's Best Global Artist—please welcome surprise guest Li Xingwei!"
The applause was thunderous. The audience hadn't expected such an exciting twist.
Li Xingwei performed "Blue Sky," the hit that won him Song of the Year in 2018. His stage presence was breathtaking—his hair temporarily dyed a striking azure, dressed in a dark tailcoat with a matching shirt and a vivid blue tie, like a dark prince at a grand ball. The applause grew even louder.
"His physique is more toned than Chu-san's, but his looks lose by a mile," Tsuneuchi muttered to himself in the waiting room.
No one paid him any attention, partly because he was speaking Japanese, but mostly because everyone was still reeling from the shock.
"Challenging Lin Xia?" Chu Zhi pondered. The bullet veered off target.
Lin Xia maintained a calm facade for the cameras, but internally, he was anything but composed. If it weren't for propriety, he'd have immediately pulled his manager aside to ask: "Why is Li Xingwei here?"
Two tigers cannot share one mountain—unless one is half-dead.
Lin Xia wasn't the only one panicking. The production team was in chaos. If Li Xingwei succeeded, Lin Xia would be eliminated. If he failed, Li Xingwei—a marquee name—would be out in his debut episode. Either outcome would enrage fans.
"Blue Sky" also received 725 votes from the audience. Whether there was any manipulation behind the scenes was left to speculation.
"What an incredible coincidence! Eight hundred audience members somehow produced identical scores," Gu Nanxi remarked in mock amazement. "If I said this wasn't miraculous, I'd probably get scolded. But since the votes came from you, our esteemed audience, and as a host who's never seen this before, I'll need to consult with the director."
After about ten minutes, director Meng Fan reached a decision.
Gu Nanxi announced to the crowd: "Since the challenger and the original contestant have tied, and both Lin Xia and Li Xingwei delivered outstanding performances, the production team has decided that Li Xingwei will return as the surprise guest next episode."
"Moreover, he must challenge all contestants and secure a top-three finish to be deemed successful," she added.
To the audience, this seemed like a fair compromise. But behind the scenes, no one knew what negotiations had transpired between the production team and Da Hua Entertainment.
"Glass Flowers" is the most unique arrangement I've ever heard, Li Xingwei thought as he amiably hugged Lin Xia. "Seeing a master at work made me hit the button without thinking. Honestly, I kind of regretted it afterward."
Li Xingwei's smile was disarmingly bright, giving the impression of a straightforward, sunny young man.
"I've sung this at fan meets—it's an incredible song," Lin Xia replied. "The moment you stepped on stage, Teacher Li, I knew anyone who could perform 'Blue Sky' would definitely be able to perform 'Blue Sky.'"
"Uh… I was a bit nervous on stage," Li Xingwei said, unaccustomed to such circular compliments.
On camera, their exchange was full of mutual admiration.
What were they really thinking?
Li Xingwei: "Hmph. Probably had some clause in his contract guaranteeing he wouldn't be eliminated. No way our votes were actually tied—they must've suppressed mine."
Lin Xia: "The production team was too scared of his fanbase to eliminate him right away. They definitely padded his score by dozens of votes—how else could it be a tie?"
The two returned to the waiting room, all smiles. After witnessing two high-caliber performances, the audience's enthusiasm had dimmed slightly.
"Thank goodness he didn't pick me—I'd have lost for sure," Zheng Yingying thought privately.
The other contestants felt even more uneasy. I Am a Singer was supposed to be about vocal skill, but everyone knew votes were swayed by popularity. Unless they delivered a god-tier performance, those with solid skills but smaller fanbases were at a clear disadvantage.
Hou Yubin gave Li Xingwei's "Blue Sky" a moderately positive review, praising his "mature technique" but suggesting he "find a more comfortable vocal range to develop a distinctive style." The atmosphere in the room remained cordial.
Now it was Chu Zhi's turn. Unlike the others, he simply stood and walked straight to the preparation area.
"Teacher Chu, are you performing in that outfit?" Wei Tongzi asked, following him.
For his trip to Star City, Chu Zhi had only brought two sets of clothes. Tonight's choice was a dark brown trench coat with subtle patterns over a striped knit sweater.
While it was true that handsome people could make anything look good, stage costumes were fundamentally different from everyday wear. This wasn't some gimmick reserved for untalented singers—just look at Eason Chan's flamboyant concert outfits. Chu Zhi's attire was far too plain.
"I prepared this myself. No one helped me," Chu Zhi said.
"Your agency? There's no way they wouldn't provide performance outfits," Wei Tongzi pressed.
"I terminated my contract. It's just me now," Chu Zhi replied.
Kangfei Entertainment had been eager to drop him—but surprisingly, they hadn't announced it yet. If Chu Zhi were in their shoes, he'd have done the same: squeeze every last drop of value from a declining artist.
Once this episode aired, history suggested Chu Zhi would face another wave of online hate. Then the company would reveal the termination, earning public goodwill with statements like "we do not tolerate artists with flawed morals." But Chu Zhi's unexpectedly strong performance had delayed those plans, leaving the public in the dark.
"It's just me now."
The words painted a picture in Wei Tongzi's mind—a lone figure standing against an overwhelming tide of darkness. Her heart ached faintly.
"Next up: the artist who set the record for fastest solo concert after debut, performing to a crowd of 80,000! Please welcome Chu Zhi, singing 'Deserted Island'!" Gu Nanxi announced.