Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 151, page 149: Galloping

Time flows like water, slipping silently through our fingers.

The calendar turned to November 1997.

Autumn has deepened in Beijing, and the red leaves of Fragrant Hills are as vibrant as the sunset.

The chill that permeated the world was mixed with a chill from the distant south, a chill stemming from economic concerns.

The financial crisis that erupted in Southeast Asian countries since the summer has not subsided; instead, it has intensified like a snowball, affecting an ever-widening range.

In newspapers and on television, terms such as "currency devaluation," "corporate bankruptcy," "bank runs," and "unemployment wave" are appearing more and more frequently.

Although Hong Kong Island has managed to maintain its linked exchange rate system thanks to its substantial foreign exchange reserves and the unwavering support of its mother country, the stock and property markets are already in turmoil, and people are filled with anxiety.

This cold front has also begun to subtly blow towards the inland areas.

The decline in export orders, layoffs at some export-oriented companies that rely on the Southeast Asian market, and the fact that the labor market in some coastal cities is no longer as active as in previous years...

Although the mainland economy has maintained relatively stable growth as a whole due to strict capital account controls and a huge domestic market, and is far from being seriously damaged, a sense of impending doom has begun to spread among some astute industries and groups.

However, one thing at the moment has eased the somber mood brought about by these economic concerns.

……

Saturday, October 11.

After more than a month of fanfare and comprehensive promotion through various existing channels, the preliminary rounds of the "Super Girl" competition in its six regional divisions kicked off simultaneously on this day!
It was like throwing several boulders into a calm lake, instantly creating huge waves.

In particular, the competition zones with the strongest economic vitality and the largest number of migrant workers saw an unexpectedly high number of registrations.

Among them, Guangzhou, the main venue for the Central and Southern Division, can be described as "terrifying".

Guangzhou, as the forefront of reform and opening up, was the first stop for countless young people with dreams to go south to seek their fortune, and it also became a gathering place for "migrant women" from all over the country.

They are young and energetic, and deep down they yearn for the stage and for changing their destiny.

The slogans of "Super Girl" – "zero threshold" and "sing if you want to sing" – were like a spark that instantly ignited the dry wood in their hearts.

According to statistics, the number of valid registrations in the Guangzhou division alone has exceeded 40,000!

The preliminary selection was held in the atrium on the first floor of Zhongtian Shopping Mall, a newly opened large shopping center in Tianhe District, Guangzhou.

The event organizers cleverly combined business with the event, bringing unprecedented foot traffic and attention to the shopping mall, while also making a small profit from venue sponsorship fees and internal advertising space, thus making up for some of the initial investment.

At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the area around the shopping center was already surrounded by crowds.

Young girls dressed in various work clothes and casual clothes held registration forms in their hands, their faces showing a mixture of nervousness, excitement and anticipation.

The air was filled with Mandarin and local dialects spoken in various accents, and the buzzing of conversations resembled a swarm of bees.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the mall doors opened on time, and the crowd poured in like a flood.

The pre-designated waiting area was quickly filled, and those who arrived later had to spread out along the corridors and staircases inside the mall. The scene was somewhat chaotic at one point, but with the guidance of a large number of security personnel and volunteers, basic order was eventually maintained.

Ten makeshift preliminary selection booths were scattered throughout the central courtyard, and long queues stretched as far as the eye could see in front of each booth.

Most of the judges were teachers from local music schools in Guangzhou, radio DJs, or musicians with some fame. They had score sheets in front of them, and their faces showed exhaustion from working non-stop and a numbness from "devastating ear strain".

In this bustling and somewhat noisy environment, a small group stood out.

Cecilia Cheung was dressed in a stylish and casual outfit with a touch of Hong Kong style, specially chosen for her by Cai Yinong—a fitted white knit sweater, paired with light blue high-waisted jeans, clean white sneakers, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, and light makeup on her face.

Although still young, his delicate features, endowed by his mixed-race genes, and his tall, developing figure make him stand out from the crowd.

She is not alone.

Beside her was a smartly dressed female assistant in her mid-twenties, who was responsible for carrying her water bottle, coat, and some other items.

A little further away, there was a young man in plain clothes, but with sharp eyes and a tall, upright figure. He was one of the security personnel arranged by Wang Sheng to ensure her safety in the mixed crowd.

This "setup" was far too eye-catching compared to the majority of the contestants around them who came alone or at most with one or two female companions.

Wow, look at that girl, she's so pretty!

"Oh yeah, oh yeah, with assistants and bodyguards too? Is it some celebrity who's here to have fun?"

"No way, why would a celebrity participate in an audition? They must be really rich..."

The surrounding people cast a variety of comments and glances, some with envy, some with curiosity, and some with indifference.

Although Cecilia Cheung had suffered hardships since childhood and considered herself very strong, she was still young and a little nervous being watched by so many people. She unconsciously leaned closer to her female assistant.

The girls ahead of her turned around and looked at her curiously. One of them boldly asked in Mandarin with a heavy Cantonese accent, "Pretty girl, did you come to the competition by yourself? Aren't your parents with you?"

Before the female assistant could explain, Cecilia Cheung spoke first, replying in her still somewhat stuttering but clearly articulated Mandarin: "I...I can do it myself."

She pointed to her female assistant and the bodyguard in the distance, then, on a sudden inspiration, mumbled, "They... were invited by my family to help out."

"Oh—" The girl who asked the question suddenly realized, looking at the expressionless "bodyguard," and whispered to her companion, "So she's a rich girl. No wonder her parents don't need to come; they just send a servant with her."

Cecilia Cheung vaguely heard these words. Her lips moved, but she ultimately didn't explain further. She thought of her gambling-addicted father and her hardworking mother who supported the family. Her eyes dimmed for a moment, but quickly refocused as she looked at the audition booth not far away.

There, she had a chance to change her destiny.

Zhang Bozhi didn't take Wang Sheng's casual remark seriously.

She's going to make a name for herself!
The procession moved forward slowly.

The sounds of singing from other studios—some off-key, some cracking, some so nervous they forgot the lyrics—and the judges' occasional helpless shouts of "Next!" could be heard all around.

The atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.

Finally, it was Cecilia Cheung's turn.

She took a deep breath and, with the encouraging gaze of her female assistant and the wary scrutiny of her bodyguard, stepped into the small space temporarily enclosed by partitions.

The studio was simple, with three judges—two men and one woman—sitting behind a long table, all of whom looked visibly tired.

The red light on the camera next to them was on, recording the performance of each contestant.

"Hello, judges. My name is Cecilia Cheung, and I'm from Hong Kong Island." She introduced herself in Mandarin, her voice trembling slightly.

The older male judge in the middle (a vocal teacher from a local music academy) raised his eyelids slightly. When he saw Cecilia Cheung's appearance, a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes, but he quickly resumed his businesslike expression: "Well, begin your performance."

Sung a cappella, without accompaniment.

Cecilia Cheung chose a classic Cantonese song – Priscilla Chan's "Snowing".

This was decided after discussing it with Cai Yinong, taking advantage of her native Cantonese language skills. The song has a beautiful melody, delicate emotions, and is also quite suitable for her voice at her age.

She took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind. When she opened them again, her gaze was much more focused.

"Snowflakes drift by again, drifting through painful memories..."

The singing began, slightly immature, not as mature and full as the original singer, but the tone was clear and bright, and what was even more remarkable was that the pitch was extremely accurate!
Every word, every note, lands steadily on the key.

This was like a breath of fresh air for the judges, who had been tormented by all sorts of "devilish noises" all morning and were almost questioning their existence!
The three judges sat up almost simultaneously, their tired eyes instantly brightening.

They exchanged a surprised look.

The female judge (a radio music program host) even nodded slightly and quickly scribbled something on the score sheet.

"Thinking of you again only stirs up my heartache..."

Cecilia Cheung is getting into her stride. Although her technique is still somewhat immature and her emotional expression is not yet profound enough, she has captured the subtle sorrow in the song and performed it completely and accurately with her clear voice.

After finishing her song, she looked at the judges somewhat nervously.

"Zhang Baizhi, right?"

The male judge in the middle spoke up, his tone much gentler: "From Hong Kong? You need to practice your Mandarin more, but... you sang well, your pitch was accurate, and your voice is excellent. Congratulations, you've advanced directly to the next round of the semi-finals."

He picked up a card stamped with "PASS" and handed it over.

Cecilia Cheung was stunned for a moment, then a surge of joy welled up inside her, and she quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you so much, judges! Thank you!"

……

Meanwhile, in Beijing, the main venue for the North China regional auditions was located in a large shopping mall near Xidan Cultural Square.

Although it's not as popular as Guangzhou, it's still packed with people, with Beijing dialect mixed with various local accents.

Gao Yuanyuan arrived at the scene accompanied by her mother and a personal assistant arranged by her company.

She wore a simple white sweater and plaid skirt, with her long hair flowing down her shoulders and no makeup, yet she possessed a pure and innocent charm like a girl next door, making her stand out in the crowd.

After nearly a year of vocal, physical, and dialogue training, although she still can't be considered a top singer, she is far superior to ordinary girls with no foundation in singing, both in terms of stage presence and pitch.

She chose to sing a Mandarin song with a simple melody and high popularity – "Tomorrow Will Be Better".

This song doesn't require much skill; its focus is more on conveying emotion.

"Gently awaken your sleeping soul, slowly open your eyes, and look at this busy world. Does it still spin endlessly in solitude? The spring breeze, oblivious to romance, stirs the heart of a young person..."

Her voice was clear, with a softness unique to young girls and a slight tremor caused by nervousness.

When she sang the chorus, she closed her eyes slightly and gently held the microphone with both hands. Her sincere and devoted demeanor, combined with her pure and lovely appearance, was extremely infectious.

On the judging panel, a mezzo-soprano teacher commented, "This girl has such a great image! She's got the makings of an actress. As for her singing... it's decent, but she didn't make any mistakes. Her appearance is a huge plus."

In the end, Gao Yuanyuan unsurprisingly received the PASS card.

She took the card, smiled sweetly at the judges and the camera, bowed in gratitude, and then ran like a happy little deer to her waiting mother to share her joy of advancing.

The auditions for "Super Girl" are in full swing in these two cities in the north and south, as well as in four other competition areas.

Countless girls like Cecilia Cheung and Gao Yuanyuan, each with their own dreams, took their first step onto this stage that was destined to change the fate of many.

(End of this chapter)