As the Dynasty Entertainment annual gala aired, Lin Zhaoyang's performance of "Blooming Life" went viral across the internet. Without any promotion, his identity alone generated popularity comparable to that of top-tier celebrities. Within an hour, the video dominated trending lists on major short-video platforms, with comments skyrocketing.
"Dad Lin sings so well!"
"He really can sing, I swear I'm not saying he's good just because he's rich!"
"It's too good, Dad Lin has achieved deification, does anyone have any objections?"
"You guys are so hypocritical, is this what you call good singing? This breathing, this rhythm, this melody, this is heavenly music!"
"Dad!!"
The video's comment section became a massive "dad-recognition" event. The collaboration between Lin Zhaoyang and Su Yu was even more popular than any top-tier act. Music critics from various platforms released their evaluations of the song, from Ting Yu's composition to Lin Zhaoyang's live rendition. All reviews were positive, with no dissenting opinions. Furthermore, the praise was well-reasoned, leaving no room for rebuttal, and reaffirming the public's trust in the professionalism of music critics. Indeed, Lin Zhaoyang sang exceptionally well!
...
The banquet concluded around ten in the evening. Lin Yanyu and Su Yu changed into casual clothes backstage and then walked out hand-in-hand. In December, Kyoto was already experiencing snowfall. The bare branches were covered in snow, unable to bear the weight, and flakes cascaded down. The entrance to the gala was still brightly lit, but a sense of desolation could still be felt. In the distance, a figure clad in a coat kept looking towards the gate, hunched into a ball against the cold. Upon spotting Su Yu and Lin Yanyu, she quickly walked towards them.
"Teacher Ting Yu..." Her face was slightly red from the cold, and mist puffed from her mouth as she spoke.
"Who are you?" Su Yu glanced at her, finding her somewhat familiar.
"I... my name is Zhang Xiaoqi."
Zhang Xiaoqi was the Balloon Queen from "Masked Singer." Upon learning that Ting Yu would be attending the Dynasty Entertainment annual gala, she specifically waited outside the gate to request a song from Ting Yu.
"Hello." Hearing the name, Su Yu recognized her. He had learned about Zhang Xiaoqi's background. She was once a renowned singer whose career was severely impacted by her own mother's schemes. She was a truly talented vocalist. Moreover, after the previous episode of "Masked Singer" aired, many online had guessed that the Balloon Queen was Zhang Xiaoqi. Although Su Yu hadn't interacted much with the Balloon Queen, he sensed her humility. Even when he presented himself as Dark Night Rabbit, he could tell that the Balloon Queen had a good disposition.
"I've come to see Teacher Ting Yu today hoping to request a song from you. I know this is rather impolite, but I still want to try." She lowered her head, not daring to look at Su Yu. It wasn't due to embarrassment, but because in the industry, song requests were typically made through formal channels with companies. Approaching someone directly like this was indeed a bit rude. However, she had no other choice, knowing that given her current situation, she wouldn't be able to meet Ting Yu through official company channels.
"Request a song?" Su Yu hadn't expected her to be waiting outside for this reason. He turned slightly to look at Lin Yanyu beside him. The latter smiled faintly, "You decide." She understood the meaning behind Su Yu's gaze; Zhang Xiaoqi was a woman, and a beautiful one at that, and Su Yu was seeking her opinion. In front of outsiders, she always deferred to Su Yu, which was their unspoken understanding. Su Yu respected her, and she, in turn, showed him the same respect.
"Do you have a company?" Su Yu asked Zhang Xiaoqi.
"I'm not afraid to be laughed at by Teacher Ting Yu, but after what happened, what company would be willing to take me..." Zhang Xiaoqi gave a self-deprecating smile. Abandoned by everyone, she was fortunate enough to successfully register for "Masked Singer." It was also luck that she managed to stay on the stage for so long. Zhang Xiaoqi wanted to make one last effort, hoping that with a bit of luck, she could sing a song by Teacher Ting Yu and successfully make a comeback driven by its popularity. For years, she had been performing at commercial events to pay off her debts. No matter how hard or tiring it was, she never cried, because she knew she couldn't just fall; she had to get back up and show her supportive fans, as well as those who looked down on her and criticized her, that Zhang Xiaoqi was not easily defeated.
"My money has all gone to paying off debts, but I can promise you that I won't take any of the copyright, and for the customization fee, I'll pay you once I start making money..." Zhang Xiaoqi wanted to say more, but Su Yu interrupted her.
Su Yu smiled at her and said, "Forget about the customization fee. Given your situation, you can't afford much." Hearing Su Yu's words, Zhang Xiaoqi felt a pang in her heart. Indeed, considering the price of Ting Yu's works, she couldn't afford such a customization fee.
"Then... I apologize for wasting your time." She bowed to Su Yu and then turned away, disappointed. It seemed good luck wouldn't always favor her. Had she become too conceited, Zhang Xiaoqi? Thinking she could get a song from Ting Yu just because she had some luck? How could she even think that? Su Yu's words were like a bucket of cold water, thoroughly waking Zhang Xiaoqi up. Forget about commissioning Ting Yu; in her current state, she couldn't even afford a top-tier producer. Furthermore, she might inadvertently drag anyone who wrote a song for her into her public dispute. Although most people knew she was framed by her mother, many still believed her mother's slanders, accusing her of filial impiety, and continued to curse her. In fact, being able to last so many episodes was already quite good.
"Wait a moment, I haven't finished speaking. It's not too late to get sad after I'm done..." Su Yu felt a bit speechless. Was she that sensitive?
"Please, go on." Zhang Xiaoqi stopped and turned back to Su Yu with a wry smile. It was indeed impolite to leave before he had finished speaking.
"If you sign with Starry Sky, I'll write you a song." Su Yu said with a gentle smile. While Zhang Xiaoqi's singing ability might not match that of top-tier singers, she was still young, her vocal tone was distinctive, and most importantly, Su Yu's singer group hadn't had any new members in a long time, so it was time to add some talented singers. Moreover, Starry Sky was currently lacking in talented singers, so bringing Zhang Xiaoqi into the company to expand the roster would be a good choice.
"You... what did you say?" Zhang Xiaoqi froze for a good ten seconds, her face filled with disbelief. Ting Yu said that if she signed with Starry Sky, he would write her a song?
"It's cold out here, you should go home. If you think this is acceptable, you can go to Starry Sky and look for Manager Zhao tomorrow." Su Yu smiled at her, saying no more, and got into the car, holding Lin Yanyu's hand, which had turned a little cold from the wind.
Zhang Xiaoqi stared blankly as Su Yu's car drove away. A wave of sadness washed over her. Then, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall uncontrollably. For a long time, she hadn't cried. Even when facing her own mother's betrayal and the public's scolding, she had held on stubbornly. But at this moment, all her pent-up grievances were finally released.
"Thank you!!" She bowed again in the direction Su Yu had left, then wiped away her tears and left with light, brisk steps. It seemed, indeed, that her good luck was starting to arrive...