A Billion Dollar Exchange

Liling shifted her gaze from the people and carefully walked over to the band stand, gently pushing forward a wheeled Piano to the centre of the stage after asking for permission.

After adjusting the microphone she raised her eyes up once again, and with a very broad smile she introduced herself.

"My name is Lee Liling, I'll be singing 'Run to You' by Lea Michele"

Her Audience were already exhausted since they've been at a place for so long. Some weren't even paying attention to her given that she was the last contestant. But Liling didn't mind, she had practiced for so long, she was not going to just lose without a trial.

Closing her eyes, she started playing the piano. The music was a sober one, at first Liling didn't know what to sing, but as she came up the stage, the only song on her head was that one, so she decided to sing it.

"The city sky's feeling dark tonight

We're back to back with our heads down

Just look at me, give me more tonight

Just give me more of your love now

Let's set fire to the lonely night

You're beautiful when you look at me

Let's give love another life

Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine

Just call my name on the edge of the night

And I'll run to you, I'll run to you

I would run to you, if you want me to

Just give me some kind of reason

I'll take the pain, take it all away

Just give it some kind of meaning

Let's let go, let it be the start

You know I'm feeling the same thing

Let's let go of our broken hearts

At this point, she opened her eyes and looked at her audience, who were looking at her transfixed, as though the original tiredness had disappeared all of a sudden.

Liu Wei felt as though she was staring right at him, he felt his heart skip a beat. She really was amazing as I thought!. He sat there, eyes wide open, oblivious of his surroundings, just Lililng who existed in his world at that moment.

Liling smiled a little more, her eyes dazzling as she continued singing as though she wrote the lyrics.

Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine

Just call my name on the edge of the night

And I'll run to you, I'll run to you

Even if it's gonna break me, love

Gonna make my way to you

Anyway it's gonna take me, love

I run to you

I run to you

Run, run

Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine

Just call my name on the edge of the night

And I'll run to you

I'll run to you

Even if it's gonna break me, love

I run to you

She concluded with the ending note from the piano, bowing a little with a smile plastered on her face. Then it came, the round of applause. The audience stood and clapped heartily at her wonderful performance. She was indeed one of a kind. Stings of tears fought it's way through her eyes, Lililng felt like crying, she smiled happily as she bowed a little again waiting for the judges' remarks.

.....

Liu Wei recovered from his trance when he was gently nudged by Jin Yue. He blinked twice and discovered that Liling was no longer on the stage. She had left. Turning to the person by his side, a smirk was plastered on his face.

"Lililng, Mmm, a beautiful name for a beautiful person, Ahh, I knew she wouldn't be just ordinary; say, what caught your fancy, her eyes or her smile? She's quite beautiful... "

Jin Yue had heard when Liu Wei whispered Lilings' name to himself. He was confused as to why he was calling a female's name all of a sudden, it was when the girl on the stage introduced herself that he knew she was the one he was referring to. She was very beautiful, though not too tall but not short either. He had noticed his friend's daze and knew he must really be infatuated really badly.

Smiling at himself, he was happy that at least someone had caught his friend's attention, a pretty one at that. He knew it didn't happen often, so they had to cherish it while it lasts.

"Seems you don't have anything reasonable to do than to sit here and talk random things" Liu Wei's face which had reddened as a result of being caught red handed immediately remarked.

Jin Yue laughed hysterically as he took in Liu Wei's expression.

"Say, Liling is a random thing?, okay, I'll go ask her out, since she's not important to... "

"Don't you dare!! " Liu Wei immediately cut him off, his eyes sending frosted daggers at him. Jin Yue laughed out loud while holding his tummy.

"Chill Bro, I wasn't even going to even if I wanted to, you like her, so she's not part of my list." He laughed again to the annoyance of Liu Wei.

.....

The Audition ended after about six hours, it was still on everyone's lips for about three days. Though they were told that the results would be released the next week, the students were overly anxious praying that they be selected.

It was the first batch, they were picking the best twenty students from each school. So that means out of the seventy participants, only twenty would be chosen!. It was really war. Everyone wanted to be taken but only the luckiest twenty would move to the next Audition.