I Married the President

The "Star of Glory" grand finale arrived as scheduled. Broadcast live across all major platforms, the show would use an evaluation method combining talent and virtue to select the final nine all-around contestants, who would then form the "SSS Group."

The three talent mentors—Sheryl Drake, Mimi Fisher, and Master—along with the two virtue mentors, Adrian Quincy and Ethan Kingsley, sat at the judges’ table. As a special guest, Claire Sinclair was seated in an added chair beside Adrian Quincy.

The live broadcast had just begun, and the view count had already surpassed one billion. The online comments exploded.

[OMG, so excited! My two gods and my two goddesses are on screen together!]

[Our OTP is on screen together! A whole screen full of PDA!]

[A whole screen full of PDA!]

[This is the biggest public display of affection in history.]

[The two presidential candidates are actually on a variety show together. Only lucky fans like us get to witness such a grand event.]

[I have to watch just for Young Master Quincy and Young Master Kingsley and contribute to the ratings.]

...

At the live show, no one was paying attention to the live comments; everyone was focused intently on the stage.

First, the 25 contestants were divided into 5 groups for team performances. The studio audience would then vote. The five contestants with the most votes would advance directly to the top 9, while the ten contestants with the lowest combined on-site and online popularity would be eliminated immediately.

The remaining 15 contestants would be allocated votes based on their virtue assessment scores from the previous five episodes. Among them, the six with the fewest votes would be eliminated.

The scores of the remaining 9 contestants would then be wiped clean. They would each give an individual performance. The final rankings would be determined by a combined score from the studio audience and mentor judges’ votes, online votes, and the final virtue scores from the two virtue mentors. This process would also decide who would become the group’s "Center."

For the final round of individual assessments, the contestants were all perfectly prepared. They performed on stage with ease and confidence, making virtually no mistakes.

Finally, it was Leonard Bishop’s turn, the contestant Claire Sinclair favored the most. Claire paid even closer attention, her heart filled with anticipation.

Leonard Bishop performed an original song titled "When the Wind Becomes a Memory." The style was somewhat dark and oppressive, yet it was incredibly captivating. From the very first notes, it pulled the listener in and refused to let go.

It was a song for those suffering from depression. The beginning was oppressive, but it later blossomed with hope. The climax was soaring but not angry, passionate but not impulsive. The final piano melody, as delicate as flowing water, soothed every wounded heart.

Many people were moved to tears after hearing the song.

Claire Sinclair’s eyes were red-rimmed as well. Afraid that crying would be unsightly, she fought to keep the tears from falling.

’This kid, Leonard Bishop... he’s just so full of stories. The songs he writes are incredibly moving. I really admire this kind of genius, and I just pray he gets a good ranking.’

After Leonard Bishop finished singing, the host walked onto the stage, his eyes also red and his voice slightly choked. "No hype, no hate," he said, "but Leonard Bishop’s song just soothed my heart, which has been wounded for a decade. That was incredibly moving. To everyone who was touched by this song, get your fingers moving and vote for Leonard Bishop now!"

After his plea for votes, the host turned to Leonard Bishop. "Leonard Bishop, I’d like to ask you a question. How did you come to write this song?"

Leonard Bishop replied calmly, "My teacher once told me that if you need to vent, you shouldn’t take it out on others. No one will understand you, but maybe the wind will. But in the blink of an eye, that wind becomes a memory of the past. It’s not a big deal. Everyone should do the same—let the past go with the wind and look forward."