The first day of the official competition was different from the preliminary rounds the previous night.
Not only would there be a large audience present, but the competition would also be broadcast live on Xiangnan TV.
This meant that whatever happened on stage was entirely unpredictable.
Even if a singer made a mistake live, or if there was a problem with the stage equipment, they would just have to accept it.
It was precisely because of this novel format of real-time live broadcast combined with edited replays that Xiangnan TV's "Weekly Hit Songs" had become so popular among viewers.
After all, viewers valued the fairness of a talent show the most, and they weren't as interested in variety shows and talent competitions that had undergone multiple rehearsals and post-production editing.
Since the competition was scheduled for 2 PM, Wang Shu decided to have breakfast first.
He didn't go to the stage for rehearsals like the other contestants, mainly because he was too lazy to do so.
After breakfast, Wang Shu even took a good nap on a reclining chair backstage.
It wasn't until 1 PM that Xiao Su rushed in anxiously to find him.
"Finally, I found you. The show is about to start. You need to go to the makeup room to change and get ready right away."
Xiao Su said to the groggy Wang Shu with a worried expression.
"Oh, I know."
Wang Shu replied perfunctorily.
What a joke, change clothes? He didn't have money to buy performance outfits.
The twenty-nine yuan and ninety-cent set he was wearing, bought from Pinduoduo, was all the money he had.
However, he reluctantly followed Xiao Su to the makeup room.
He sat down in front of the makeup mirror, and the makeup artist began to pat various powders onto Wang Shu's face.
A few minutes later, Wang Shu, who had been looking disheveled and unkempt, looked like a completely different person after the makeup artist's work.
Of course, the makeup artist didn't overdo the makeup on Wang Shu. They just shaved off his messy beard, tidied up his bird's nest-like hair, and trimmed his eyebrows before finishing.
When Wang Shu turned around and looked at Xiao Su again, he almost made her drop her jaw.
With his handsome face, clearly defined features, and deep set eyes, he looked like a fresh young idol!
But if he was so handsome, why did he deliberately appear unkempt and ugly?
Looking at Wang Shu's handsome face, Xiao Su was stunned.
'If only he had looked this handsome when we took pictures earlier!'
Xiao Su thought to herself.
"What should I do now?"
After finishing his makeup, Wang Shu looked at Xiao Su's infatuated expression and asked.
"Huh? You can go change your clothes now. You're about to go on stage."
Wang Shu's question jolted Xiao Su awake. She then lowered her head and said with a blush, "
"I won't change. I'll wear this."
Wang Shu said, as he genuinely had no other clothes.
The makeup artist frowned upon hearing this.
It was such a waste of a good face. Clothes make the man, and without a good performance outfit, how could he expect to go on stage?
"What? No performance outfit?"
Xiao Su looked at Wang Shu in surprise, her voice involuntarily rising, drawing the attention of others in the makeup room.
"He doesn't even have a performance outfit and he's here to perform? Does he think this stage is for street performing?"
"It's speechless. What kind of random person can pass the audition? These judges have no taste."
"There are so many weirdos these days. If you don't prepare an outfit, are you planning to sing naked?"
Suddenly, several contestants who had not seen Wang Shu last night started whispering amongst themselves.
Tian Fen, standing nearby, also noticed Wang Shu's situation, but out of pride, he pretended not to know him.
After all, he was already a minor celebrity, and associating with a poor wretch like Wang Shu, who couldn't even afford a performance outfit, would be beneath him.
Wang Shu paid no attention to the gazes directed at him.
The entertainment industry was a place of fame and fortune, constantly filled with conflict.
From daily life to everything else, there was constant comparison. Wang Shu, being poor, was an unwelcome anomaly.
However, it was better this way, as Wang Shu preferred a quiet life. He wasn't relying on his looks to get by anyway.
Of course, if he wanted to, he could probably make a living with his looks, but the system wouldn't allow it.
Since Wang Shu didn't need to change his outfit, he had more time to slack off.
The other contestants were all wearing their best performance outfits.
Amidst these contestants dressed in designer brands, Wang Shu, in a white t-shirt, black pants, and a pair of very cheap, slightly yellowed white sneakers, stood out.
Sitting among the contestants who were dressed in lavish attire, Wang Shu, wearing the simplest clothes, became the most conspicuous presence.
At 2 PM, the audience seats in the Xiangnan TV studio were already packed, with a thousand audience members having arrived.
The live broadcast cameras were officially turned on, and viewers who had long been waiting in front of their televisions and in the live stream room were eagerly posting comments.
"It's finally started! I've waited for days. I hope there will be some handsome guys this episode!"
"I can't eat without watching this show for a day. 'Weekly Hit Songs' has become a part of my life!"
"Looking forward to it! Looking forward to it! Looking forward to it! I've downloaded every song from each episode. This is my go-to show for finding music."
As soon as the show began, the comments in the live stream room flooded in like bullets, and the number of viewers quickly soared to tens of thousands.
And today was a weekday, 2 PM was during work hours.
With over ten thousand viewers tuning in at the start of the show during this time slot, it was already a considerable audience.
Then, host Han Ge walked onto the stage and gave a brief opening for the show, introducing the three professional judges for this episode.
They were the Queen of Love Songs He Yue, the King of Rock Qin Feng, and the versatile vocal virtuoso Hua Cheng Yu!
The appearance of these three judges immediately triggered cheers from many audience members.
"Hua Hua, Hua Hua is so handsome!"
"The production team has great taste for inviting Hua Hua as a judge!"
"Hua Hua is the best, wherever Hua Hua is, I am!"
For a moment, the comments in the live stream room were quickly and systematically filled with the phrase "Hua Hua is so handsome."
The dense barrage of comments completely obscured the screen.
In a corner of the venue, a group of young girls stood up wildly, holding light sticks and cheering.
"Heaven and earth, Hua Hua is the most handsome! Chinese music, Hua Hua is number one!"
Wailing cheers instantly filled the entire auditorium.