Chapter 24
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Juliana appeared poised and generous, but in reality, she was waiting to see Cecilia make a fool of herself.
With so many people present, Juliana believed that Cecilia wouldn’t dare to break the rules and swap numbers with her. Cecilia, noticing Juliana’s concealed delight, deftly snatched the number card from Juliana’s hand and replaced it with her own. “Well, if you’re that sincere, I’ll graciously accept your offer.” Cecilia thought, “If you’re such a fan of theatrics, then I’ll let you put on the show of your life!”
Juliana stared in disbelief at the number card now in her hand.
Although she was confident in her singing abilities, she would be at a disadvantage if she were the last to perform.
Even if she emerged victorious, she couldn’t outshine the others.
This was not the outcome she had in mind!
Just as Juliana was about to use the competition rules as an excuse to demand her number back from Cecilia, Cecilia beat her to it.
Cecilia turned to Calvin and asked, “Mr. Yates, Juliana willingly requested a number exchange. This shouldn’t be considered a rule violation, right?”
Calvin saw through Juliana’s attempt to put on a show but failed miserably.
He offered a faint smile, “When it’s a mutual agreement, it doesn’t count as a violation.”
Hearing this, Juliana felt like she might explode.
But it was too late to change the situation, so Juliana gritted her teeth and pretended to be gracious.
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“Ceci, don’t be nervous. Since I agreed to swap numbers, I won’t ask for it back.”
Cecilia beamed, “Thank you, Julia. I’ll make sure to give a performance that lives up to the number you’ve given me.”
Watching Cecilia’s triumphant smile, Juliana wished she could wipe it off Cecilia’s face.
Soon, the competition began.
Calvin chose a well–known traditional–style song as the theme. There was no background music; it was an a cappella performance.
Singing without accompaniment tested vocal skills, and this traditional–style song had challenging opera singing techniques.
The first contestant was too nervous and lacked the necessary skill, leaving the stage before completing the song, and earning a score of 0.
The second contestant fared better but had a voice too heavy for the traditional–style song, receiving a score of 65.
Cecilia was the third to perform.
She didn’t listen to songs much, but she had heard the popular traditional-style songs that had gone viral online.
However, she didn’t start singing immediately. Instead, she flawlessly imitated the opening flute melody, as if a real flutist were playing.
This immediately stunned the entire audience!
Even Calvin, who was ment*lly prepared, displayed a surprised expression.
Not to mention Juliana, whose eyes nearly popped out of her head.
Jeremiah and Jayden were equally astonished at Cecilia’s astounding vocal mimicry.
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After she finished mimicking the prelude, Cecilia began singing the lyrics, and surprisingly, the background music started playing too.
In other words, Cecilia sang the song while simultaneously mimicking the background music, and it blended seamlessly.
Could a human do that?
When her delicate vocal nuances filled the entire auditorium, everyone held their breath, afraid to disrupt Cecilia.
As the final note resonated, the auditorium fell into an eerie silence, akin to a hushed chicken coop.
After a long pause, Calvin came back to his senses and applauded.
Following his lead, thunderous applause filled the auditorium, lasting for a long time.
And numerous comments flooded the journalists‘ live–streaming channels.
[Oh my goodness, Cecilia is not only stunning but also has an incredible voice! I’m totally smitten.]
[I’ve never seen anything like this before. Singing while creating her own music? Cecilia’s a true talent!]
[She’s ten times, no, a hundred times better than the original. I regret not recording this livestream earlier.]
[Don’t worry, once the livestream ends, we can still screen–record the replay.]
[Goddess, you’re insanely talented. Your songwriting is fantastic, and your singing is even better. We adore you!] [Please, enter the music industry and release an album with traditional–style songs. I’m absolutely into them!]
In various live–streaming channels, viewers were leaving enthusiastic comments, creating an electric atmosphere.
As Gordon and Sophia watched the livestream, they struggled
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to find words to describe their current feelings.
Sophia finally broke the silence, her voice soft and amazed, “I never thought Cecilia would inherit my musical talent and excel beyond it.”
Once a diva with several national hits, Sophia considered
herself a musical genius. Yet, she now found herself eclipsed by her daughter, Cecilia.
Gordon nodded in agreement. “Sophie, it’s like witnessing you again.”
But then his tone abruptly turned cold. “If Cecilia is such a skilled singer, why did she keep it from us?”
Upon hearing this, Sophia snapped out of her shock and retorted, “What else could it be? She’s afraid we’d ask her to sing for free!”
In the eyes of the Yancey family, Cecilia had become unforgivable.
And no matter what Cecilia did, they were prepared for the worst in every situation.
Gordon switched off the TV. “I can’t watch anymore. Juliana won’t be able to compete with Cecilia. It’s bad luck.”
Meanwhile, Cecilia, being talked behind by Gordon and Sophia, felt a slight tickle in her nose as if she were about to sneeze. But she resisted the urge.
Singing that song had required considerable effort, leaving her slightly breathless and with sore lips.
After waiting for a moment and noticing that the applause continued, Cecilia cleared her throat gently. “Mr. Yates, esteemed judges, it’s time for the scores.”
Her flawless performance left no room for critique, earning her the expected perfect score of 100.
Jeremiah, who had initially planned to find fault with Cecilia,
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was rendered speechless.
He stared at Cecilia in bewilderment, as if he had never known her before.
“Cecilia’s singing prowess just now can elevate her to godlike status. And I, even as a rising young singer, will be surpassed by her,” thought Jeremiah.
After Calvin announced Cecilia’s score, the competition resumed.
However, the next four contestants all chose to forfeit.
Faced with Cecilia’s exceptional performance, they recognized their inability to measure up and opted to spare themselves the embarrassment.
All eyes then turned to Juliana.
Calvin deliberately inquired, “Ms. Yancey, are you withdrawing from the competition, or do you wish to continue?”
Juliana knew that she couldn’t compete with Cecilia and that pushing herself would only lead to a humiliating defeat.
And she would be a laughingstock if she quit.
Therefore, Juliana decided to withdraw in a more dignified
manner.
Juliana smiled at Calvin and declared, “Mr. Yates, no matter what happens, I won’t back down.”
With her determination clear, Juliana walked toward the stage.
But her injured leg caused her to stumble on the steps, leading to a painful fall.
Her injured leg struck the edge of the stage, instantly staining her white dress with crimson.
“Ah!” Juliana cried out in agony. Then Jayden and Jeremiah rushed to her side with concern.
“Is it hurting badly, Julia? Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the
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hospital,” Jayden said.
“Jay, go to the school infirmary first and help Julia stop the bleeding.”
“Oh right, stop the bleeding first,” Jayden responded, carefully picking up Juliana and preparing to leave.
Juliana tightly held onto Jayden’s arm, gritting her teeth as she said, “Jay, I want to finish the competition. Let me sing the song first.”
“Why? It’s just a movie soundtrack. You don’t have to. I’ve just taken over a big film, and I’ll have you sing the theme song!”
As long as Jayden financed the project, arranging for Juliana to sing the theme song was a trivial matter.
Jeremiah chimed in, “Julia, I’m already preparing a new album. I’d like you to collaborate on a song when the time comes.”
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Cecilia.
By that look, it was as if he was saying, “It’s just a movie soundtrack. Feel free to have it, Cecilia. After all, Julia already has something better.”
Cecilia observed the three siblings‘ theatrical performance and chuckled, “Aren’t you leaving yet? If you don’t attend to the wound soon, it might miraculously heal by itself.”
Jayden shot a warning glance at Cecilia and then carried Juliana away swiftly.
If it weren’t for the livestream, he would have lost his temper.
Jeremiah intentionally passed by Cecilia and sneered, “Your words reek. Did you have dung for lunch?”
Jeremiah had barely finished speaking when he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Jeremiah’s face hit the floor, blood spilling from his mouth.
Cecilia silently retracted her foot and watched Jeremiah with a half–smile.
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“As expected, when you walk, you should watch your step and avoid talking, or you might stumble,” Cecilia sneered.
Jeremiah, covering his mouth, got up, almost losing his temper. “You tripped me!”
“Mr. Jeremiah Yancey, you should be careful with your words. Do you have any evidence? Making false accusations can lead to defamation charges.”
Cecilia had stood with her back to everyone and discreetly made the move, leaving Jeremiah no room for retaliation.
Jeremiah indeed had no evidence, so he could only swallow his anger forcefully.
He shot a furious glance at Cecilia and quickly caught up with Jayden, leaving the auditorium.
Once the three of them were gone, the auditorium buzzed with discussions, all centered around Juliana.
“When Juliana fell just now, was it to avoid the competition?”
“Definitely, even though she acted convincingly, we’re not blind.”
“Can’t blame her, Cecilia is just too powerful. Only a fool would willingly go up against her.”
“Then she should have withdrawn openly instead of resorting to these tricks. It’s quite disgraceful.”
The discussions were hushed and were inaudible on livestream, but with reporters present, they could harm Quilton University’s reputation.
Vice chancellor Howard tapped the microphone and cleared his throat. “Let’s keep it down, please. Mr. Yates, could you announce the competition’s results?”
With that, the subplot brought by the Yancey siblings came to an end.
The competition’s outcome was clear, and Calvin asked, “Does
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anyone have any objections regarding Cecilia singing “The Palace‘?”
“No!” The unanimous response was resounding.
Calvin then took out a prepared contract and signed it with Cecilia in front of everyone.
After the signing, Calvin turned to the camera held by a journalist and said, “If everything goes smoothly, you’ll be able to see the promotional video for ‘The Palace‘ and hear the theme song sung by Cecilia in a week.”
Now, Cecilia’s performance had gone viral on the livestream platform, which would greatly boost the popularity of “The Palace.”
Cecilia stood up and extended her hand to Calvin. “Mr. Yates, pleasure working with you.”
Calvin stood as well, shaking Cecilia’s hand and smiling. “Ms. Yancey, do you have time now?”
“I do have time for recording,” Cecilia replied.
“Shall we head to the recording studio?”
Having heard Cecilia’s performance of the theme song, Calvin believed it was excellent, but it could benefit from a more polished recording.
Cecilia withdrew her hand and nodded in agreement.
Inside the recording studio, Cecilia’s phone buzzed with a payment notification from the Yates Corporation. Cecilia couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
“Isn’t it customary for Quilton University students to sing for Yates Corporation without a fee?” she inquired, her eyes on Calvin.
Calvin nodded. “Indeed, it is, but your talent deserves recognition and reward.”
Cecilia shrugged, “I don’t want to break any rules here. I’ll just
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transfer the money back to you.”
Then Cecilia reached for her phone to transfer the money to Calvin.
But Calvin intercepted it, holding Cecilia’s phone in his hand. “Ms. Yancey,” Calvin began, “the payment is not just for your performance but a symbol of our hope for future
collaborations. Your songs will receive top priority at Yates Corporation, and we want you to think of us when you
consider singing.”
Cecilia had initially composed songs to earn university credits, having already completed her four–year course requirement.
She had no intention of continuing, but Calvin’s offer made her reconsider.
“Alright, do we need to sign a formal contract for this?”
Calvin did not expect Cecilia to agree so easily, and he was overjoyed.
Calvin was pleasantly surprised by Cecilia’s swift agreement. “No need, I trust your professionalism. We’ll pay you according to the highest standards in the industry.”
“Sounds good.”
Cecilia then devoted herself to the recording process.
Calvin had anticipated it would take her at least two days to complete, even with her impressive skills.
Cecilia, however, took only five hours to complete. To his surprise, Cecilia finished in just five hours.
She even spent one–hour refining lyrics and music scores during the whole process.
By 7 P.M., Cecilia had wrapped up her dry recording, and Yates Corporation would handle the post–production work.
Calvin handed Cecilia a bottle of water to soothe her throat.
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“Would you honor me with the pleasure of joining me for dinner, Ms. Yancey?” Calvin asked.
Cecilia’s throat felt dry and strained from the recording, and she downed the entire bottle of water.
Afterward, she declined with a polite smile, “Sorry, I have plans for tonight.”
As soon as she spoke, her phone chimed with a message notification.
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