The winter break at the University of Hong Kong is short, only about half a month, but the summer break is exceptionally long, covering June, July, and August, plus the spring break starting in May, amounting to over a hundred days in total.
Even with his new identity, Chen Jin continued to study and practice diligently, occasionally going to a KTV on Rongshu Bay Street with Zhang Weihao to sing. This was also for the sake of practicing singing skills, and they chose a location far from Rongshu Bay to avoid running into He Zhong or Hui Ge's people.
When Zhang Weixiong came back for his break in mid-May, he stayed with Chen Jin. Being a music enthusiast himself and thinking that Chen Jin was working hard because of him, he was very happy and actively helped Chen Jin.
By June, the fishing ban period began, lasting until September. During this time, Chen Jin and others had more free time. By August 20, when the Hong Kong Newcomer Singing Contest officially started, Chen Jin's skill level had improved enough to satisfy himself. With further refinement, he was bound to amaze the world. Zhang Weixiong was even more excited, confidently proclaiming that Chen Jin would win the championship.
Lamma Island, where they lived, is part of the Outlying Islands District, one of the eighteen districts of Hong Kong. However, in the division of the Hong Kong Newcomer Singing Contest, Lamma Island was included in the Southern District of Hong Kong. The whole of Hong Kong was divided into sixteen districts for the contest, with the top two contestants from each district advancing.
The Southern District, the largest in Hong Kong, is also known for its vast wealth gap. Places like Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay are homes to super-rich, while areas like Shek O are mostly inhabited by ordinary citizens.
Though the district is large, its population is not high, and due to the presence of wealthy families, the number of participants from this area was less than in Kwun Tong, Yau Tsim Mong, Eastern, and Wan Chai districts.
This was good news for the contestants, but there were also hidden concerns. For example, the children of a rich family might participate for fun, or a mistress of a rich man might aim for a career in the entertainment industry, or a stunningly beautiful contestant might catch the eye of a wealthy person. Unspoken rules were not a recent phenomenon, and if such situations occurred and there were several such contestants, Chen Jin feared that no matter how well he sang, he might not succeed.
The selection round for the Southern District was held at Maryknoll Convent School on Southern Ridge Road No. 32. The competition lasted a week. The first three days were open auditions, where everyone could sing freely, and five judges would select five outstanding and ten qualified contestants. On the fourth day, another five were chosen from the ten qualified ones. After a day's rest, the final two days were for the competition, from which the top two of the final ten would be selected to advance to the top thirty-two.
After learning the rules, Chen Jin realized that Zhang Weixiong's claim of being fifth in the Southern District was just a boast; in reality, he only made it to the top ten. As for third to eighth place, it didn't matter what he claimed; his skill level was limited, which explained why Zhang Weixiong was reluctant to sing in front of Chen Jin.
During the competition days, participants had to take care of their own food and accommodation. Only after advancing to the top thirty-two, when they went to TVB's Clear Water Bay Television Centre for the competition, would TVB provide food and accommodation. At that point, professional vocal and dance coaches would also teach them some basics.
Although Zhang Jiacong did not approve of Chen Jin entering the entertainment industry, seeing the three of them so enthusiastic, he did not stop them. He generously gave Chen Jin twenty thousand dollars. Not only had Chen Jin earned a good amount for him these days, but Zhang Jiacong also really liked this young man, treating him almost like his own child.
Maryknoll Convent School, a girls' secondary school, was packed with people when Chen Jin and the others arrived, even though it was already afternoon. Many were there just to watch, and the actual number of contestants registering was limited.
Seeing two uniformed police officers maintaining order at the entrance, Chen Jin felt a bit nervous as he registered with his fake ID card. He tried to act calm and was relieved to see that the staff didn't seem to pay much attention to the ID cards.
It was normal after all. It was just a singing contest. Even using a fake ID to open a bank account wouldn't be an issue at this time.
Upon entering, all three breathed a sigh of relief. Although Chen Jin's Cantonese was excellent, his ID was still fake. They exchanged smiles and headed towards the school auditorium.
Zhang Weixiong and Zhang Weihao had entered under the guise of participating in the contest. Zhang Weixiong had given up on competing, now aspiring to make Chen Jin a superstar and become a super agent in the entertainment industry – a wild idea he had one morning while fishing.
The auditorium was divided into two parts. The open area, usually for students, was filled with dozens of contestants waiting for their turn to sing, while the stage was curtained off for the contestants being judged and the panel of judges.
As soon as Chen Jin and his friends entered, they attracted everyone's attention. Not because they were particularly outstanding or Chen Jin was extremely handsome, but because every new arrival was a potential competitor.
"Xiong, you're here again!" To Zhang Weixiong's surprise, he had an acquaintance there, a medium-built, average-looking guy waving at him from the back row of the auditorium.
Zhang Weixiong happily waved back, apparently familiar with the person. "Qiang, you're here too!" He introduced him to Chen Jin: "This is Li Guoxian from Shek O, an old friend who, like me, was unfortunately eliminated last year."
"This is my fellow villager, Chen Jin." Zhang Weixiong then patted Li Guoxian on the shoulder. "Brother, I don't mean to discourage you, but you've met a tough opponent today. Unless there's no one better than you, you might have to wait until next year."
Li Guoxian laughed dismissively, punching Zhang Weixiong playfully. "Cut it out. Even if I sang off-key on purpose, I'd still be streets ahead of you."
Zhang Weixiong was not offended. He pointed at Chen Jin and raised his eyebrows. "How about it? My brother here is as good-looking as Leslie Cheung, right?"
In terms of handsomeness, Chen Jin was clearly leagues ahead of Leslie Cheung. He was the type of man that women would find irresistible – not just drooling over, but certainly with sparkling eyes. Even men had to admit that his face and physique were outstanding.
Nodding his head and then smirking, Li Guoxian scoffed, "If we're talking about looks, this guy is obviously top-notch, but this is a singing contest, not a beauty or model competition!"
Zhang Weixiong seemed regretful as he patted Li Guoxian's shoulder again. "Brother, that's why I'm not optimistic about you today. This pretty boy here is not just good-looking; he's also first-rate at singing!"
In the face of Li Guoxian's disbelief, Zhang Weixiong grinned. "Didn't you see I'm not participating today? It's because of this guy's presence that I lost all confidence. So now, my goal is to become a star agent and make him a superstar."
Teasingly, he added, "No worries, Qiang. Even if you fail, once I become a star agent, I might consider signing you and letting you release an EP to give it a shot. If that doesn't work out, at the very least, I can get you a song in Ah Jin's album to satisfy your craving."
Li Guoxian retorted annoyedly, "Cut it out. The competition hasn't even started, and you're already boasting. Last year, you bragged about yourself being the best, but in the end, you left with your tail between your legs."
Zhang Weixiong scratched his head awkwardly. "Alright, Qiang, I won't say much more. You'll realize everything I said today is true when you witness the birth of a superstar."
Li Guoxian remained skeptical, clearly remembering Zhang Weixiong's tendency to exaggerate. However, he turned to Chen Jin, extending a hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you. You really are very handsome!"
Chen Jin shrugged helplessly, sensing that Li Guoxian still considered him just a pretty face. Shaking his hand, he said with a hint of humor, "Thanks to the good genes my parents passed on to me, thanks to the blessings of the heavens, and thanks to the trials of these years that didn't destroy this young sapling."