Chapter 197 Finals 4

Shi Shi is going to sing Lyn's "Beneath the Mask".

This time, performing on stage amidst the spotlight, there was no opening dance to build suspense, no rehearsal beforehand, and nothing was prepared—no costumes, styling, backup dancers, band, lighting, or anything else. There were only 20 minutes to communicate with the accompanist, so not a single mistake could be tolerated.

I'm a shape shifter

I have a thousand faces

At Poe's masquerade

Solo dance at the ball

hiding both face and mind

Face and soul concealed

All free for you to draw

"You can imagine what it looks like."

When she spoke, she wore a mysterious and captivating smile, as if she wanted to unleash her full talent and compete with these outstanding creators.

The moment she sang the first line of lyrics, her unique voice instantly captivated everyone's ears.

As the song reached its climax, she immediately switched styles, transforming from a glamorous woman into a vibrant and energetic one, igniting the atmosphere once again as everyone swayed to the rhythm.

Yan Xuehua, sitting in the audience, exclaimed excitedly, "Shishi is truly amazing! This song is completely different in style from her previous works, yet she performed it so perfectly!"

Gu Hanyi nodded in agreement, "Yes, Shi Shi will definitely achieve good results in this competition."

With Shi Shi's performance ending, the first half of the match came to a close.

Halftime break. All the participants went to have lunch together.

Oliver sat down next to Shi Shi with his tray.

Japanese food is generally bland. To avoid affecting the contestants' performance, the food was prepared even more lightly. Shishi took a bite of the tasteless steak.

Hmm, it doesn't taste good.

Oliver clearly thought so too; after eating two shrimp, he couldn't help but frown.

"I thought the seafood from this island nation would be delicious. But it seems it's nothing special. It has no flavor at all."

After saying that, he put down his knife and fork and took out two chocolates from his pocket. He handed one to Shishi.

"It's very sweet, would you like to try some?"

"No, I don't eat sweets, thank you."

Shishi loves sweets, and although she knows Oliver wouldn't do anything to her in a public restaurant, this match is crucial for China. She can't afford to underestimate any potential dangers at this crucial moment. She'd better pass on the chocolate from her opponent.

Oliver seemed unsurprised by Shi Shi's refusal and stuffed both chocolates into his mouth. He chewed them while letting out a satisfied sigh.

"It's delicious."

Honestly, whether before or after her time travel, she couldn't understand the British people's love for sweets. The sugar content seemed unbearable to her!

"That song was really good. Did you improvise it, or did you guess the question correctly?"

Predicting exam questions happens every year; it's all about luck, an unspoken truth. Only Oliver would say it so openly.

That's way too friendly!

She couldn't finish her steak. Shi Shi put down her knife and fork, wiped her mouth, and said to Oliver, "It was definitely improvisation. It's a pity the time was too short. If there had been more time, the stage presentation would have been much better."

After she finished speaking, she showed a regretful expression.

"I really like this song of yours. The lyrics are so interesting! It describes a person playing different roles in different situations?"

Seeing Shi Shi nod, Oliver continued, "It symbolizes how people often need to wear different masks in life to deal with various social situations. Doesn't this 'thousand-faced' state reflect the complexity and multifaceted nature of most people's inner world in modern society?"

Shi Shi agreed with him, her eyes showing approval: "You're right, humans are the most complex creatures in the world. A thousand people are a thousand different people, and even one person may have a thousand different faces."

"Yes, we act one way towards our lovers, another way towards our parents, and yet another way towards our bosses. We act one way when facing illness and yet another way when experiencing happiness. We act one way when we like something and another way when we don't. It's quite interesting."

Oliver's eyes revealed deep admiration.

"Your song about air was really powerful. It started with a tense, suffocating feeling, then gave you a sense of release. It was like...like..."

Shi Shi composed herself and said, "It's like a person being choked, struggling desperately to get the air they need to survive. But they can't get even a sliver. Just when they're about to suffocate, the hand choking their neck suddenly releases, and they gasp for fresh air."

After saying that, Shi Shi looked at him somewhat embarrassed. "I was just talking nonsense, it was just my own feeling."

Oliver gave him an approving look: "Your feeling is right. When I was assigned this topic today, I was reminded of a crime movie I once watched. The killer always gives the victim a chance to breathe some fresh air before committing the murder. I just inexplicably thought of that movie. Your intuition is spot on."

"Thanks."

After finishing their meal, all the contestants returned to the competition venue and began waiting.

Time quickly passed and the second half of the game began.

This World Music Competition will officially come to a close with the second half of the competition.

Kong Pan appeared calm, but her palms were damp with a thin layer of sweat. Shi Shi had had a smooth journey so far, only suffering one setback in a relationship. This was her first time participating in such a large-scale competition, and Kong Pan was genuinely worried that Shi Shi would be under too much psychological pressure.

Yan Xuehua, who was standing next to her, saw through her thoughts.

"Don't worry about it. Shi Shi has the composure of a general. She's not intimidated at all."

Kong Pan stubbornly argued, "I'm not worried. I trust her abilities!"

“We’re all mothers, we all know each other, right? It’s not shameful to say you’re worried,” Yan Xuehua said.

"If you keep pointing out people's flaws, you'll have no friends."

Yan Xuehua sighed softly. Just when Kong Pan thought she had spoken too harshly, Yan Xuehua added, "Exposing people's flaws may leave me friendless, but it makes me happy!"

Gu Han interrupted their conversation, saying, "Stop chatting, the second half is about to start, focus!"

As the host announced the program, the countries of Oreo, Beauty, and Germany each finished performing their respective pieces.

In the end, only three works were not performed.

Two songs by Oliver and one by Shi.

Oliver raised an eyebrow and looked at Shishi: "Guess who will win in the end?"

Oliver had been so low-key that Shishi never expected him to say something so arrogant. The other players are really strong, and the score difference wasn't that big at all!